ACCC Investigating Retailers Making Concerning Black Friday Claims
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is probing several retailers after its 2025 Black Friday sweep found that roughly half of the 50 examined retailers used misleading tactics, such as inaccurate countdown timers and overstated site‑wide discounts. The investigation follows earlier enforcement actions, including penalties against Michael Hill, MyHouse and Hairhouse Online for deceptive sales claims. The ACCC warns that false urgency and hidden exclusions can prevent shoppers from making informed choices. Retailers are urged to align advertising with Australian Consumer Law or face further enforcement.
New Merger Control Regime Off to Positive Start
Australia’s revamped merger control regime launched on 1 January 2026 and is already delivering on its speed commitments. In the first three months the ACCC received 50 merger notifications and 108 waiver applications, approving 39 notifications in Phase 1 and granting 70 waivers....
ACCC Monitors Fuel Excise Cut, Fuel Surcharges and Fuel Price Movements
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered fuel retailers to pass on the latest federal fuel excise reduction of about 5.7 Australian cents per litre (≈3.8 US cents) as quickly as possible. This follows an earlier 26.3‑cent cut...
ACCC Decides MicroStar’s Acquisition of Konvoy Requires Phase 2 Review
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has moved MicroStar Logistics’ purchase of Konvoy Holdings’ keg‑pooling assets into a Phase 2 review, citing a risk of substantially lessening competition. MicroStar, operating as Kegstar, and Konvoy are the only two providers of...
NBN Delivers Steady Performance, but some Consumers Missing Out on Full Plan Speeds
The ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report shows that most Australian households on NBN fixed‑line services achieved 98.5% of their advertised plan speeds during peak evening hours in December 2025. The newly introduced NBN Home Fast plan (500/50 Mbps) delivered an...
Storage Vital to Meeting Winter Demand Across East Coast Gas Market in Q3 2026
Australia’s east‑coast gas market is projected to face tight supply conditions during the winter months of Q3 2026, according to the ACCC’s interim gas inquiry report. The balance could swing between a 12 PJ shortfall and a 3 PJ surplus, largely dependent on...
Service Quality and Consumer Protections to Improve in Proposed Changes to NBN Regulation
The ACCC released a draft determination that will set NBN Co’s regulatory framework from 1 July 2026, proposing lower capital spending, reduced weighted‑average cost of capital, and tighter benchmark service standards. It also upgrades the entry‑level broadband offering to a 25 Mbps download/10 Mbps...
OPSM and Laubman & Pank Franchisor Pays Penalty for Alleged Breach of Franchising Code
Luxottica Franchising Australia, the operator of OPSM and Laubman & Pank, paid a $19,800 AUD penalty (approximately $13,000 USD) after the ACCC issued an infringement notice for failing to keep its Franchise Disclosure Register profile current. The breach violated the...
Diesel Prices Rising Faster than Petrol, up 28 Cpl Across the Largest Cities in Last Week
Retail diesel prices jumped 10% in the week to 25 March, rising 27.8 cents per litre to 303.5 cpl across Australia’s five largest cities, while petrol increased 8% to 252.2 cpl. The surge mirrors a 17% rise in the Singapore Gasoil 10 ppm benchmark, compared...
Oil and Gas Services Company Qteq and Its Chairman Collectively Fined $6 Million for Attempted Cartel Conduct
The Federal Court fined Queensland‑based oil‑service firm Qteq Pty Ltd $5 million AUD (≈$3.3 million USD) and its chairman Simon Ashton $1 million AUD (≈$0.66 million USD) for five attempts to secure cartel arrangements between 2017 and 2019. The penalty against Ashton is the...
ACCC Monitoring Impact on Domestic Aviation Amid Middle East Conflict
The ACCC has flagged the domestic airline market for close monitoring after the Middle East conflict disrupted international routes and lifted global jet‑fuel prices. While refunds for affected flights depend on individual booking terms, the regulator warns that prolonged fuel...
PhotobookShop Pays Penalties for Influencer Reviews
PhotobookShop, an Australian online photobook retailer, has been hit with two ACCC infringement notices and a AUD 39,600 (≈US$26,000) penalty for misleading influencer reviews on Instagram. The regulator found the company instructed influencers on 107 occasions between August 2024 and September 2025 not...
ACCC Authorises Fuel Majors to Coordinate to Ensure Fuel Supplies, with Conditions
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued an urgent interim authorisation allowing the Australian Institute of Petroleum and its members to coordinate fuel supply logistics across the country in response to Middle‑East conflict‑driven disruptions. The permission expressly forbids...
NDIS Provider Aidacare Admits to Misleading Customers About Their Consumer Guarantee Rights
Aidacare, a registered NDIS healthcare equipment provider, admitted to making false or misleading statements about consumer guarantee rights between January 2022 and May 2025 and using unfair contract terms that restricted remedies for faulty products. The Australian Competition and Consumer...
Consumer Impacts and Regional Supply Issues at Centre of Discussions at Emergency Fuel Meeting
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) convened an emergency meeting with major fuel producers, wholesalers and motoring groups in Sydney and Melbourne to address sharp price spikes and regional supply shortages triggered by the Middle East conflict. ACCC Chair...
