Australia’s Watchdog Releases Its 2021 Enforcement & Compliance Priorities

Sales practices in Australia’s domestic travel sector, competition in aviation and the conduct of some caravan manufacturers will be among the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) compliance and enforcement priorities during 2021, ACCC Chair Rod Sims announced on Tuesday, February 23.

In his annual Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA) address in Sydney, Mr Sims outlined the ACCC’s full list of compliance and enforcement priorities for the year ahead, a number of which related to consumer and competition issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Sims said the ACCC’s COVID-19 Enforcement Taskforce would continue to closely monitor forward sales practices by travel businesses, noting concerns about misrepresentations in advertising and marketing material targeted at consumers.

Competition in the COVID-hit aviation industry remained fragile, so the ACCC would be scrutinizing behavior that could further damage competition, Mr Sims said.

“The ACCC will, for example, be closely monitoring the plans by the regional operator Rex to enter the major domestic routes, including those connecting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with a particular focus on Rex’s ability to access slots at Sydney Airport,” Mr Sims said.

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