BTF9150

Competition and consumer law

Mr Brendan Sweeney

6 points · 3 hours per week · First semester · Caulfield and in-house

Objectives On completion of this subject students should be able to research and apply the main principles of law affecting the development of products; the pricing of products; the promotion of products; the distribution process (with special emphasis on researching and applying the Trade Practices Act).

Synopsis This subject examines illegal competitive practices. Competitive practices may be illegal because they unfairly disadvantage consumers (for example by deceptive advertising or producing defective products), or because they unfairly disadvantage business rivals (for example by deceptive advertising, unauthorised use of another's patents, trade marks or copyright), or because they harm the competitive process itself (for example price and market rigging agreements, restraints of trade, monopoly abuses, price discrimination and mergers). Much of the subject will be concerned with the provisions of the Trade Practices Act. The subject will attempt to place the laws controlling unfair competitive practices within the wider economic sphere.

Assessment Research assignment: 40% · Examination (3 hours): 60%

Prescribed texts

Clarke B and Sweeney B Marketing and the law Butterworths, latest edn
Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)

Back to the 1999 Business and Economics Handbook