ACCC announces 2025-26 compliance and enforcement priorities

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb delivered the keynote speech at the Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA), Thursday 20 February 2025, on the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities for 2025-26. 

Key priorities and areas of focus outlined by Ms Cass-Gottlieb include (but are not limited to): 

• Australia’s new merger regime 

• Competition in the digital economy (including the proposed new digital competition regime) 

• Misuse of market power and cartel conduct 

• Fair trading and product safety (including unfair trading practices reform) 

• Environmental claims and sustainability 

Ms Cass-Gotlieb also iterated that over the year ahead, the ACCC’s work will also focus on increasing business compliance with the excessive card payment surcharging prohibition and improving pricing practices to ensure all add on costs are appropriately disclosed. 

In addition, the ACCC will continue to contribute to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA’s) current policy considerations on solutions to the card surcharging and retail payments frameworks to support consumers and businesses while ensuring effective competition in the payments system.