The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is set to receive $67.7 million in new government funding following the 2026-27 Federal Budget, with the money earmarked for broadening the agency’s capacity to investigate and act on breaches of competition and consumer law. ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb framed the allocation in terms of economic necessity rather than agency ambition. “Active, proportionate, and evidence-based enforcement of Australia’s competition and consumer laws has been central to the ACCC’s work for many years and is vital for the strength and productivity of our economy as a whole,” Cass-Gottlieb said.
The funding comes as the ACCC faces pressure to keep up with fast-moving developments in digital commerce, platform-based markets, and emerging consumer technologies – areas where regulators globally have struggled to match the pace of industry change. “This additional funding will ensure we keep pace with technological advancements and remain effective in identifying, investigating, and addressing unlawful conduct that harms consumers and seeks to disadvantage businesses that follow the rules,” Cass-Gottlieb said.
The $67.7 million is spread across several distinct regulatory programs rather than concentrated solely in enforcement. A portion goes toward preparing businesses and consumers for incoming changes to the Australian Consumer Law, including a new general prohibition on unfair trading practices and financial penalties tied to breaches of consumer guarantee obligations. The ACCC will produce guidance materials and run education campaigns ahead of those provisions taking effect. Funding has also been set aside for developing nationally consistent safety standards covering e-micromobility devices – a category that includes e-scooters – along with a surveillance program and targeted enforcement action in that space.
The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) – which coordinates intelligence-sharing between government agencies, law enforcement, and private sector participants to reduce scam-related financial losses – will continue operating for a further 12 months under the new funding arrangement. Separately, the ACCC’s tenure as Digital ID Regulator is extended by four years, and its Consumer Data Right functions receive a two-year continuation. Cass-Gottlieb noted the breadth of responsibilities the agency now carries beyond its traditional enforcement role. “This additional funding highlights that on top of our role as an independent law enforcement agency, we have many additional regulatory responsibilities to safeguard consumers, promote competition, and bring transparency to complex markets,” she said.
Each year, the ACCC publishes a list of sectors and conduct types it will concentrate investigative resources on. For 2026-27, those priorities reflect a mix of longstanding concerns and areas where market conditions have shifted. Supermarkets and retail sit at the top of the list on two fronts: competition concerns involving firms with market power and their conduct toward small businesses and consumer protection concerns centred on misleading pricing. Essential services – covering telecommunications, electricity, and gas – are flagged for both competition promotion and misleading pricing enforcement.
Aviation is listed as a priority sector for competition and consumer matters. Digital markets appear twice: once for manipulative and false practices involving unsafe consumer goods sold online and once for competition concerns within platform-based markets. The ACCC has also nominated greenwashing — where businesses make environmental claims that are inaccurate or unsubstantiated — as a consumer and fair-trading focus. That priority has direct relevance for insurers developing or distributing products tied to environmental or sustainability criteria.
Unfair contract terms also feature, with the ACCC directing attention toward cancellation-related clauses in consumer and small business contracts, specifically those involving automatic renewals, early termination fees, and non-cancellation provisions. Given the structure of many insurance contracts, this is a provision that warrants close attention from underwriters and product teams alike. Motor vehicle consumer guarantees and product safety standards for young children – with a specific focus on button batteries, infant sleep products, and toppling furniture – round out the list.
Alongside the annual list, the ACCC maintains a group of enduring priorities that remain in force regardless of which sectors are highlighted in a given year. These include cartel conduct with a connection to Australia, anti-competitive behaviour that restricts how businesses can compete, product safety risks with serious harm potential, conduct that disproportionately affects consumers experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage, issues specifically affecting First Nations Australians, protections for small businesses including those in agriculture, and scams enforcement under the Scams Prevention Framework. The ACCC has indicated it will serve as the general regulator under the Scams Prevention Framework and will also function as the sector regulator for a digital platforms code. Banks, telecommunications providers, and digital platforms are named as the first industries likely to fall under designated sector codes.
The agency applies a defined set of criteria when allocating investigative resources. Matters that result in widespread consumer or small business harm, that carry a significant cost-of-living dimension, or that involve large national traders are more likely to attract formal action. The ACCC also weighs whether a case could set a precedent, clarify newer legislative provisions, or produce a deterrent effect across an industry.
The agency does not function as a dispute resolution body for individual consumer complaints. Matters that are isolated in nature, primarily contractual, or more suited to state and territory fair trading agencies fall outside the scope of what the ACCC will typically pursue. When formal action is taken, tools available to the ACCC include Federal Court proceedings, infringement notices, and enforceable undertakings under section 87B of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Court outcomes can include financial penalties, injunctions, corrective advertising orders, and, in cartel cases, custodial sentences.
The combination of new funding, incoming ACL amendments, and an active 2026-27 priority list creates a regulatory environment that insurance professionals should track closely. The forthcoming prohibition on unfair trading practices will apply broadly to consumer-facing contracts. Policy wordings, renewal processes, and cancellation terms – particularly those that renew automatically or impose exit costs – are areas where insurers may need to conduct internal reviews ahead of the new provisions coming into force. The ACCC's focus on greenwashing and digital market conduct is also pertinent for insurers operating ESG-linked products or distributing through online platforms, where the agency has signalled it will scrutinise both the accuracy of claims and the fairness of market structures.
