This Sub-area includes:

• consumer-related matters such as:
  • misleading and deceptive conduct
  • unconscionable conduct
  • unfair commercial practices
  • product liability matters
  • false advertising
• Australian Consumer Law actions by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The NPA practice note sets out the arrangements for the management of Commercial and Corporations proceedings in this Sub-area:

Other practice notes and Court developed guides which may be relevant to this Sub-area include:

Filing fees for commencing a proceeding in this Sub-area may apply. Information about Court fees, including the fees payable and circumstances where an exemption or deferral can be given is available in Forms, Fees & Costs or from the Registry.

A person may commence a proceeding in this Sub-area by filing:

Parties should consider whether it is necessary to file a Genuine steps statement (Form 16) in certain proceedings in this NPA - see Rule 8.02 of the Rules and the Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) (including sections 6, 7 and 16).

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth)
• Civil Aviation (Carriers Liability) Act 1959 (Cth)
• National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
• National Consumer Credit Protection (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2009 (Cth)
• National Consumer Credit Protection (Fees) Act 2009 (Cth)
• Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)

• 24 Jul 2026: Australian Income Solutions Pty Ltd v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Reopening Application) [2026] FCA 1064
  CORPORATIONS – applications under s 459G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to set aside statutory demands founded on pecuniary penalty orders – applications contingent upon reopening application – applications dismissed – unopposed extension under s 459F(2)(a)(i) to comply with statutory demands PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application under rr…
  Judge: LEE J
• 23 Jun 2026: Southernwood v Brambles Limited (No 5) [2026] FCA 1052
  COSTS – application for stay of costs assessment orders – where notice of appeal not yet filed – whether appropriate to stay costs assessment orders pending determination of appeal – whether balance of convenience favours granting a stay of costs assessment orders – where no hearing date(s) allocated to appeal – consequences of stay of costs…
  Judge: MURPHY J
• 31 Jul 2026: Morrell v Sundance Marine Pty Ltd (Substituted Service) (No 2) [2026] FCA 1049
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for substituted service of cross-claim outside the jurisdiction – service on Cross-Respondent in France under the Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters [2010] ATS 23 (Hague Convention) has not been completed after nine months – continuing…
  Judge: HILL J
• 29 Jul 2026: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Dawson [2026] (No 3) [2026] FCA 1006
  CORPORATIONS – officer’s duties under ss 180, 181 and 182 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“Corporations Act”) – civil penalties – disqualification from managing corporations under ss 206C and 206E – where ASIC commenced civil penalty proceedings against sole director – director plead guilty and served prison sentence – whether elements of…
  Judge: MCELWAINE J
• 28 Jul 2026: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Latitude Finance Australia (No 4) [2026] FCA 989
  CONSUMER LAW – pecuniary penalties for contraventions of ss 12DA(1), 12DB(1)(a), 12DB(1)(i) and 12DB(1)(g) of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) – where misleading conduct continued for 19 months and involved thousands of advertisements viewed by millions of Australians – where contravening conduct assessed as a…
  Judge: O'BRYAN J
• 24 Jul 2026: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Magnamail Pty Ltd [2026] FCA 969
  CORPORATIONS – trade and commerce – alleged false, misleading and deceptive conduct concerning notification of prize conducted as part of trade promotions by direct mail-order catalogue business – alleged contraventions of sections 18, 29(1)(b), 29(1)(g), 29(1)(m) and 34 Australian Consumer Law – consumers for majority of promotions had…
  Judge: DOWNES J
• 22 Jul 2026: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Noumi Limited (No 7) [2026] FCA 958
  CORPORATIONS – second defendant was chief executive officer of company in the business of manufacturing and selling food products – where alleged that at least $20 million of valueless inventory not written off – where revenue alleged to be overstated by at least $9.3 million due to inclusion of invoices for unfulfilled purchase orders liable to…
  Judge: JACKMAN J
• 14 Jul 2026: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Falcon Capital Limited (in liquidation) (No 3) [2026] FCA 954
  CORPORATIONS – application by liquidators of the first defendant for approval to enter into a settlement deed in relation to a claim of the company – approval granted
  Judge: MOSHINSKY J
• 17 Jul 2026: Little Cashy Pty Ltd v Nesfall Pty Ltd as trustee for the Palmerston Property Trust [2026] FCA 928
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application by respondents for applicants to provide security for costs pursuant to r 19.01 of Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) – where applicants sue in their capacities as tenants of premises – where applicant companies carry on business on premises in partnership in their capacities as trustees of family trusts – where…
  Judge: MCDONALD J
• 16 Jul 2026: Bano Pty Ltd v Australian Settlements Limited [2026] FCA 932
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for an interlocutory injunction before commencement of a proceeding – where the prospective respondent and the prospective applicant are parties to a contract pursuant to which the prospective respondent provides payments infrastructure services – where the prospective respondent has served upon the prospective …
  Judge: GOODMAN J

• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)