Section 151 Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018
Section 151 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 is about Redress by civil society groups. It is under Part XVII (Enforcement of Consumers’ Rights) of the Act.
(1) The Commission may collaborate with, facilitate, or otherwise support any of the following activities carried out by a consumer protection group –
(a) consumer advice and education activities and publications;
(b) research, market monitoring, surveillance and reporting;
(c) promotion of consumers’ rights and advocacy of consumers’ interests;
(d) representation of consumers, either specifically or generally, in court;
(e) alternative dispute resolution through mediation or conciliation; and
(f) participation in national and international associations, conferences or forums concerned with consumer protection matters.
(2) An accredited consumer protection group may –
(a) commence or undertake any act to protect the interests of a consumer individually, or of consumers collectively, in any matter or before any forum contemplated in this Act; and
(b) intervene in any matter before any forum contemplated in this Act, if the interests of consumers represented by that group are not otherwise adequately represented in that forum.
(3) In addition to any other authority set out in this Act, an accredited consumer protection group may direct a generally stated concern or complaint to the Commission in respect of any matter within the purpose of this Act.
(4) The Commission may accredit a consumer protection group if that group –
(a) functions predominantly to promote or represent the interests of all or a specific category of consumers generally;
(b) is committed to achieving the purposes of this Act; and
(c) engages in, or makes a realistic proposal to engage in, actions to promote and advance the consumers’ interests.
(5) The Commission may impose reasonable conditions for the accreditation of a consumer protection group to provide the objectives of this Act and shall monitor the effectiveness of any such accredited consumer protection group and may reasonably require any accredited consumer protection group to provide information necessary for monitoring purposes.
