Competition and Consumer Act 2010

In addition to any other functions conferred on the Commission, the Commission has the following functions:

to make available to persons engaged in trade or commerce and other interested persons general information for their guidance with respect to the carrying out of the functions, or the exercise of the powers, of the Commission under this Act;

to examine critically, and report to the Minister on, the laws in force in Australia relating to the protection of consumers in respect of matters referred to the Commission by the Minister, being matters with respect to which the Parliament has power to make laws;

to conduct research in relation to matters affecting the interests of consumers, being matters with respect to which the Parliament has power to make laws;

to conduct research and undertake studies on matters that are referred to the Commission by the Council and that relate to the Commission’s other functions;

to make available to the public general information in relation to matters affecting the interests of consumers, being matters with respect to which the Parliament has power to make laws;

to make known for the guidance of consumers the rights and obligations of persons under provisions of laws in force in Australia that are designed to protect the interests of consumers.

Where a matter of a kind mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) is referred by the Minister to the Commission for examination and report:

the Commission shall cause to be published in the Gazette and in any other manner the Commission considers appropriate a notice:

stating that the reference has been made and specifying the matter to which the reference relates; and

inviting interested persons to furnish to the Commission their views on that matter and specifying the time and manner within which those views are to be furnished;

the Commission shall not furnish its report to the Minister until a reasonable opportunity has been given to interested persons to furnish to the Commission their views on the matter to which the reference relates; and

the Commission shall include in its report to the Minister any recommendations that it considers desirable with respect to the reform of the law relating to the matter to which the reference relates, whether those recommendations relate to the amendment of existing laws or the making of new laws.

The Minister shall cause a copy of each report furnished to him or her by the Commission in relation to a matter referred to the Commission under paragraph (1)(b) to be laid before each House of the Parliament as soon as practicable after the report is received by him or her.