Tribune’s note

Kevin Hogan, Opposition Deputy Manager of Business, moved a second-reading amendment to the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026, framing the Opposition's position as supportive of consumer protection in principle but opposed to the bill's current form. The Opposition's core attack is that the Government has failed to identify the regulatory gap the bill addresses, and that the broad new prohibition creates legal uncertainty and imposes over $124 million in annual compliance costs — more than $100 million of which falls on small businesses.

Hogan called for referral to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, a procedural move that delays passage and signals the Opposition will contest the bill's scope, not its stated objectives.

Primary records (1)

The official records this note draws on — the raw primary documents themselves, as published.

HansardCompetition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026Kevin HoganTuesday 12 May 2026