The bill creates a general ban on businesses using "unfair trading practices" — conduct that manipulates or unreasonably distorts the choices a consumer makes. At the committee stage the Senate worked through several proposed changes, and all were defeated.
The main contest was a Greens push to extend the ban to the financial services sector, tied to the collapse of investment schemes First Guardian and Shield. Other rejected amendments included adding "lead generation" to the list of banned conduct, requiring free-trial reminders before charges begin, and delaying the rules for small businesses until 2030.
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This bill changes the Australian Consumer Law to create a general ban on "unfair trading practices" and add specific rules against two common tactics: subscription traps (making it hard to cancel) and drip pricing (extra fees added at checkout). Businesses would have to clearly show total costs upfront and make cancelling straightforward.
Labor says up to five million Australians hit an unfair practice each year, losing an estimated $1–5 billion, and the bill brings Australia into line with the EU, UK and others. The Greens back it but want it extended to banks and financial services. The Coalition and One Nation support the subscription and pricing rules but warn the broad "unfair" ban is too vague, will cost small businesses about $103 million a year, and want it tightened and delayed for small firms until 2030.
🗳 A public mood-check, not a scientific poll. Vote to reveal how the chamber voted.