Product Liability
3. How Consumer Law Works
Authors: Staff Legal Eagle
Firm / Chambers:
Last updated: 14 Aug 2015
- In Australia when you buy a product it comes with an automatic guarantee that it will operate the way you expect it to. This guarantee is provided by suppliers and manufacturers of goods that they sell, hire or lease and is in addition to any explicit warranties that may be provided.
- A supplier is anyone who sells goods to a consumer as part of trade and commerce.
- A manufacturer is anyone who constructs goods and identifies those goods with their name, brand or trademark. This concept of manufacturer includes the importer if the head office of the manufacturer is outside Australia.
- As a consumer you can take steps against the manufacturer or supplier to be compensated for any loss and damage suffered if purchased goods are defective, unsafe or not fit for their advertised purpose.
- Only certain goods are captured by the Australian Consumer Law. For more information on the types of goods that are protected under the law please see our Consumer Law Overview Guide.
- The Australian Consumer Law is enforced by the consumer regulators at a national level and in each state or territory.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Authority (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) are the national regulators. Each state and territory has a consumer regulator who also assists in the implementation and regulation of this law such as Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV).
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