The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission proposes to re-authorise the Homeworkers Code of Practice for two years.
The code assists businesses in the textile, clothing and footwear industry in Australia to ensure compliance with the legislative requirements applying to homeworkers or outworkers.
"The code was first authorised by the ACCC in 2000. Since then there has been an increase in the number of businesses subject to the code," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.
"The code imposes obligations on participants in the supply chain to provide award wages and conditions to textile, clothing and footwear industry homeworkers. In this way the code helps to reduce the exploitation of homeworkers. Further, by increasing industry and consumer awareness about working conditions, businesses accredited under the code are also able to promote their ethical credentials to consumers."
Therefore, consistent with previous decisions, the ACCC considers that the likely public benefits from the code will outweigh the public detriments.
The Homeworker Code Committee is currently conducting a review and update of the code. Consequently, the ACCC proposes to grant re-authorisation for two years as requested by the committee.
Authorisation provides immunity from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment. The ACCC's draft determination will be available from the ACCC website.
The ACCC invites submissions from interested parties in relation to the draft determination before making its final decision. Parties wishing to make submissions should do so by 28 January 2011. Please refer to the website for further information about making a submission to the ACCC.