Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Panthera Finance Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 340

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Panthera Finance Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 340 File number: NSD 1162 of 2019

Judge: JAGOT J

Date of judgment: 12 March 2020

Date of publication of reasons: 13 March 2020

Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – where respondent admitted contraventions of Australian Consumer Law – where respondent contacted consumers pursuing payment of alleged debt – where consumers were not liable for alleged debt – undue harassment – false or misleading representations – agreed pecuniary penalties – application granted HUMAN RIGHTS – Privacy – interlocutory application – where suppression orders sought for individuals that have provided affidavit evidence – where orders seek to prevent the disclosure of confidential information – commercial sensitivity of information is an appropriate basis for making a suppression or non-publication order – application granted

Legislation: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) ss 155AAA, 155AAA(21), Sch 2 (Australian Consumer Law) ss 29, 29(1)(m), 50, 50(1), 224(1)(a)(ii), 224(3) item 2, 246(1), 246(2), 246(2)(b) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 21, 37AF, 37AF(1)(a), 37AG(1), 37AG(1)(a) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 2.32(1)(b), 2.32(3)(a) Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) s 21V

Cases cited: Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission [1992] HCA 10; (1992) 175 CLR 564 Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2018] HCA 3; (2018) 262 CLR 157 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v ACM Group Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 1115 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 330 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 205 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Sontax Australia (1988) Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 1202 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Yazaki Corporation [2018] FCAFC 73; (2018) 262 FCR 243 Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v McCaskey [2000] FCA 1037; (2000) 104 FCR 8 Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Maritime Union of Australia [2001] FCA 1549; (2001) 114 FCR 472 Commonwealth v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2015] HCA 46; (2015) 258 CLR 482 Forster v Jododex Australia Pty Ltd [1972] HCA 61; (1972) 127 CLR 421 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Motorola Solutions Inc v Hytera Communications Corporation Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 17