ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. Source: AAP Image/ Lukas Coch
Australia’s competition watchdog will fast-track major complaints from small businesses, after industry lobby COSBOA was inducted into its all-new warning system.
On Wednesday, Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh and Minister for Small Business Julie Collins confirmed COSBOA, the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, will become a ‘designated complainant’ to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The scheme permits COSBOA, along with newly designated complainants Consumer Action and CHOICE, to submit their concerns about systemic competition issues in the Australian economy.
Once received, the ACCC must respond to those complaints within 90 days and confirm if further action is necessary.
The fast-tracked complaints system sidesteps the existing ACCC complaints system, allowing advocacy groups to highlight the systemic competition issues they believe warrant immediate attention.
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