Commercial Law | By Paul Pascoe and Paul Mac

A recent change to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) aims to alter the landscape of contracts entered into between small and large businesses for the supply of goods or services.
Historically, there has been a trend for large businesses to exert a certain level of clout to effectively push smaller businesses, with less bargaining power, to sign contracts on terms highly favourable to the more powerful parties. However, the scope of protection now afforded under section 23 of the ACL has been expanded to include parties to small business contracts, as well as individual consumers.