Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act 1990

(1) If an employee or agent of the licensee commits an offence against this Part for which the licensee would have been liable had it been committed by the licensee, the licensee is to be treated as having committed an offence and is liable to the penalty prescribed for the offence committed by the employee or agent.

(2) Proceedings under this section may be taken against a licensee whether or not proceedings are taken against the employee or agent and whether or not the employee or agent was convicted of the offence.

(a) it is not a defence that the licensee did not know of, or could not reasonably have been aware of or have prevented, the offence being committed by the employee or agent; and

(b) it is a defence, proof of which is on the licensee, that the licensee had taken reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offence.