Advocacy and the regulator
Chairman Rod Sims discusses the ACCC's New Car Retailing Industry Market Study investigating the competitiveness of the Australian retail car industry.
Motor cars
Dealers squeezed by car manufacturers at consumers’ expense
Car manufacturers need to step up to meet their consumer guarantee obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and stop putting the squeeze on dealers through dealer agreements, policies and procedures, ACCC Chairman Rod Sims told the 2017 Australian Automotive Dealer Association National Dealer Convention in Sydney today.
Chairman's address to CEDA WA
Chairman Rod Sims outlines the role of the regulator in a changing economy, including recent actions the ACCC has taken on infrastructure pricing, against cartel conduct and to improve consumer protection.
New car industry put on notice
The ACCC today released the draft report of its market study into Australia’s new car retailing industry.
“Complaints to the ACCC about new car manufacturers have risen to more than 10,000 over the past two years. Our draft report highlights the urgent need to address widespread issues in the industry,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
Three key observations from this market study are:
ACCC releases issues paper for new car retailing industry market study
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has today released an issues paper for the new car retailing industry market study announced in June this year, providing detailed information on the scope of the study and how interested parties can participate.
“A new car is one of the most significant purchases that a consumer will make and issues with these purchases can have a significant financial consequence,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
ACCC launches market study into new car retailing industry
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is commencing a market study into the new car retailing industry in Australia.
The study will focus on competition and consumer issues that may be present in the industry.
“A new car is a significant purchase for consumers and more than 1 million new cars are sold in Australia each year. Consumer issues arising in relation to new car retailing is a priority area for the ACCC,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
Competition and consumer issues for a changing industry
ACCC Commissioner Roger Featherston addresses the Australian Auto Aftermarket Conference in Melbourne. He discusses proposed reforms to ease restrictions on consumers importing new vehicles. Mr Featherston also outlines issues around access to vehicle repair data and provides an update on the ACCC's recent enforcement actions in the auto industry. Mr Featherston invites the aftermarket industry to have a say on whether the Australian Consumer Law should include a ‘lemon law’.
Car import reforms are good for consumers and competition
Freeing up laws around importing new cars will provide consumers with greater choice and create new business opportunities in a changing industry, ACCC Commissioner Roger Featherston said today at the Australian Auto Aftermarket Conference in Melbourne.
The Government recently announced it will ease restrictions on consumers importing new vehicles from 2018. The reforms allow a consumer to import a vehicle from the UK or Japan. The vehicle must have less than 500km on its odometer, and the consumer may not import more than one vehicle every two years.
Oil Code of Conduct
The Oilcode regulates the conduct of suppliers, distributors and retailers in the petroleum marketing industry. Declared petroleum products include unleaded petrol and certain other products (e.g. blend of unleaded petrol and ethanol).