ACCC

We’re here to help franchisors understand their new obligations under the upcoming changes to the Franchising Code.   Our Small Business and Industry Codes team and Deputy Chair Mick Keogh were on the ground in Melbourne last week, answering questions and providing resources to franchisors across a wide range of industries.   If you didn’t get the chance to visit our stall, you can check out our guidance on changes to the franchising code on our website: https://lnkd.in/dAmMaTBD

Global issues 🤝 global solutions. Earlier this month, Catriona Lowe, ACCC Deputy Chair and Libby Darwin, General Manager of Consumer Compliance Strategies participated in the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) Conference in Santo Domingo. ICPEN is a network of consumer protection authorities across the world. The network comes together annually to discuss emerging consumer protection issues, share information and experiences, and explore ways to tackle consumer protection issues connected with cross-border transactions. On the agenda this year: AI, digital marketing practices, agency effectiveness and more. Thank you to Pro Consumidor RD for hosting the event as ICPEN President for 2025-26.

Kickstart your career in competition and consumer law with the ACCC! Want to make an impact under Australia's new merger review system? We're looking for Analysts to join our team as we implement significant reforms to how mergers are reviewed. We have already commenced assessments under the new mandatory and suspensory merger review system, with the regime becoming compulsory 1 January 2026. We're recruiting for roles starting soon and up to June 2026 - perfect for those finishing studies or planning their next career move. As an Analyst, you'll work with senior staff to investigate and analyse mergers across a range of industries, provide economic, legal and data-driven insights and develop evidence-based assessments and recommendations. You'll engage with stakeholders and may support matters before the Australian Competition Tribunal or Federal Court. We're looking for candidates with relevant tertiary qualifications in economics, law, data or related fields, and experience or a strong interest in economic or legal analysis, research, drafting and interpreting legislation. We value flexibility, and all roles can be performed from any capital city in a state or territory, or Townsville. Apply now: https://brnw.ch/21wWGON Applications close Sunday 26 October.

Time is running out for you to have your say on our priority areas for 2026-27! ⏳ Our survey is seeking feedback from consumers, businesses, and other stakeholders to shape our priority areas for our compliance and enforcement activities for the next financial year. We want to hear your views on our current priority areas, and whether any new competition or consumer issues have emerged that require our focus. We’re also seeking your views on how the ACCC can improve how we do our work. The survey is closing this Friday, 17 October 2025. You can complete the survey here: https://brnw.ch/21wWyTo

We’re looking for a UX Designer who’s comfortable working under limited direction to deliver human-centred solutions across the full project lifecycle. You’ll collaborate with end users, business stakeholders and technical teams to design, test and evaluate solutions that meet agency requirements while driving thoughtful, practical design and continuous improvement. In this role, you will conduct evidence-based research to uncover meaningful insights into user needs and behaviours, apply a wide range of UX methods and adapt them creatively to communicate design concepts and design assets such as user flows, wireframes and prototypes for proofs of concept and usability testing. You will also lead workshops, presentations and user research to gather feedback and refine solutions, ensuring your designs are practical, effective and user-focused. To be successful in this role, you will have proven experience in wireframing, prototyping and interactive design using tools like Figma. You will be skilled in user journey mapping, business process analysis and leading both quantitative and qualitative research. You are able to manage multiple priorities while consistently delivering high-quality outcomes. Experience developing design systems is highly desirable. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/ggW5AkAp Applications close Sunday 12 October.  

Last month, we had the privilege of attending the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Competition Conference, hosted by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS). The event brought together senior officials, regulators, academics and competition practitioners to address critical challenges facing the region’s economies. As an ASEAN dialogue partner, we’re grateful for the opportunity to attend these events and join the conversation, fostering mutually beneficial relationships with our ASEAN colleagues. We thoroughly enjoyed the robust discussions on the theme ‘A New Era for Competition Policy in ASEAN’ that took place with our neighbouring competition regulators. Highlights included discussions of leveraging AI in the region, the intersection of competition policy and consumer protection, and the role of competition policy in managing cost of living.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new Commissioner, Luke Woodward.   Mr Woodward is regarded as one of Australia’s leading competition and consumer law practitioners. He has more than 30 years of experience spanning competition and consumer matters, mergers and acquisitions, and infrastructure regulation in a range of sectors.   Mr Woodward previously worked at the ACCC between 1993 and 2000 in roles including executive general manager, general counsel and senior assistant commissioner.   “Luke’s strong litigation experience will be a particular asset to the ACCC’s work, in our enforcement program and in Australia’s new merger regime.” – ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. 

Interested in making a real impact on fair competition? Join a team that promotes compliance with competition law by investigating potential breaches and taking enforcement action to protect Australian consumers and businesses.   We are seeking multiple Senior Investigators to join our Competition Division, with opportunities available across the Competition Enforcement and Advocacy, Competition Enforcement. Coordination and Strategy, and Competition Enforcement and Cartels branches. While each branch has its own focus, they work closely together on competition matters.   In this role, you will undertake research and analysis to draw evidence-based conclusions on complex competition issues, make recommendations on next steps, prepare high-quality documents including legal notices, information requests, reports and briefs, interview witnesses and market participants and apply relevant legislation, policies and procedures.    To be successful, you will have qualifications in investigations, law, economics, commerce or a related field, strong communication skills and experience leading complex investigations and teams. A sound knowledge of ACCC's role and the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 is highly desirable as well as a Certificate IV in Government Investigations (successful candidates who do not already hold this qualification will be required to obtain it within six months of commencing).   Come work with us, where our high performing culture brings together smart and dedicated people from all walks of life to collaborate on some of the biggest issues facing Australian consumers and businesses. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gadK3Ks5 Applications close Sunday, 12 October.

Telstra has been ordered by the Federal Court to pay a penalty of $18 million for breaching the Australian Consumer Law after it moved almost 9,000 Belong customers to a lower speed plan without telling them.   “The $18 million penalty sends a strong message to all businesses that they cannot mislead consumers by making changes to key aspects of a service without informing customers of those changes” - ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvT-fjpJ

📢 Your voice matters – we want to hear from you on our priority areas for 2026-27!    We’ve just released a survey to seek feedback from consumers, businesses and other stakeholders as part of the annual review of our Compliance and Enforcement Policy. This policy sets out our priority areas for our compliance and enforcement activities for the next financial year.   We want to hear your views on our current priority areas, and whether any new competition or consumer issues have emerged that require our focus. We’re also seeking your views on how the ACCC can improve how we do our work.   The survey will be open until 17 October 2025 and is available here: https://lnkd.in/geJztKGu   You can find out more about our current priority areas here: https://lnkd.in/gTcFQqfX. The 2026-27 Compliance and Enforcement Policy will be released in early March 2026.