Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jayco Corporation Pty Ltd

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judge: WHEELAHAN J
• Judgment Date: 20 November 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCA 1672
• Date: 20 November 2020
• Court: Federal Court

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jayco Corporation Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1672

File number:	VID 1308 of 2017
Judge:	WHEELAHAN J
Date of judgment:	20 November 2020
Catchwords:	CONSUMER LAW – statutory guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) – statutory guarantee as to acceptable quality under s 54 of the ACL – statutory guarantee as to fitness for purpose under s 55 of the ACL – statutory guarantee as to supply by description under s 56 of the ACL – statutory guarantee of manufacturer’s warranty under s 59 of the ACL – consumer’s entitlement to reject goods for major failure of a statutory guarantee – whether the goods would not have been acquired by a reasonable consumer fully acquainted with the nature and extent of the failure – application of the ACL statutory guarantees to complex manufactured goods. ; CONSUMER LAW – prohibition on misleading or deceptive conduct under s 18 of the ACL – prohibition on certain false or misleading representations under s 29(1)(m) of the ACL – principles applicable to the assessment of oral statements. ; CONSUMER LAW – prohibition on unconscionable conduct under s 21 of the ACL – consideration of the standard fixed by the statutory prohibition on unconscionable conduct – consideration of the judicial technique in determining whether conduct was, in all the circumstances, unconscionable – judicial technique described in Jenyns v Public Curator (Qld) (1953) 90 CLR 113 at 118 involves a scrutiny of the exact relations established between the parties with regard to every connected circumstance – consideration of allegations of unconscionable conduct against a manufacturer for obstructing consumers’ rights against suppliers – coherence of the statutory scheme of the ACL including separate manufacturer’s and supplier’s obligations, and incorporation of manufacturer’s contractual warranties.
Legislation:	Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act2001 (Cth) ss 12CB and 12CC Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) s 137H, s 139B, Schedule 2 – Australian Consumer Law, ss 2, 3, 4(1), 7, 18, 21, 22, 29, 54, 55, 56, 59, 64, 64A, 102, 151(m), s 224, 228, s 232(2), 239, 246, 247(1)(a), s 248(1)(a)(ii), s 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 271, 272, 274, 276(1), and 276A Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment Act 2011 (Cth) Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 (Cth) reg 90 Consumer Rights Act 2015 (UK) s 24(8) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 16.02(1)(e) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (repealed) ss 51AB, 51AC, 52, and 74A to 74G Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No 2)2010 (Cth) ; Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Bill (No 2) 2010 (Cth), explanatory memorandum
Cases cited:	Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Bunavit Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 6 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 634; 317 ALR 73 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Dukemaster Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 682 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd [2018] FCA 703; 360 ALR 124 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v LG Electronics Australia Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 96 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Lux Distributors Pty Ltd[2013] FCAFC 90 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Medibank Private Ltd [2018] FCAFC 235; 267 FCR 544 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54; 250 CLR 640 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 130; 381 ALR 507 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Valve Corporation (No 3) [2016] FCA 196; 337 ALR 647 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Woolworths Group Limited[2020] FCAFC 162 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v AGM Markets Pty Ltd (in liq) (No 3) [2020] FCA 208; 380 ALR 27 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd[2019] FCA 1284; 139 ACSR 52 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Kobelt [2019] HCA 18; 368 ALR 1 Austral Pacific Group Ltd v Airservices Australia[2000] HCA 39; 203 CLR 136 Brennan v Comcare [1994] FCA 360; 50 FCR 555 Bulstrode v Trimble [1970] VR 840 Burt v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1994) ATPR (Digest) 46‑123 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 60; 218 CLR 592 Campbell v Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd[2009] HCA 25; 238 CLR 304 Campomar Sociedad, Limitada v Nike International Limited [2000] HCA 12; 202 CLR 45 CCL Secure Pty Ltd v Berry [2019] FCAFC 81 Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd v Clarke[2013] NSWCA 272 Colin R Price & Associates Pty Ltd v Four Oaks Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 75; 251 FCR 404 Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne v Powell [2015] FCA 1110; 330 ALR 67 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Kojic [2016] FCAFC 186; 249 FCR 421 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson [1990] HCA 17; 169 CLR 594 Contact Energy Ltd v Jones [2009] 2 NZLR 830 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee [1999] HCA 59; 200 CLR 1 Davis Contractors Ltd v Fareham Urban District Council[1956] AC 696 Ellis v Wallsend District Hospital (1989) 17 NSWLR 553 George Wills & Co Ltd v Davids Pty Ltd[1957] HCA 6; 98 CLR 77 Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Pty Ltd [1984] FCA 67;2 FCR 82 Google Inc v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2013] HCA 1; 259 CLR 435 Hall (Inspector of Taxes) v Lorimer [1992] 1 WLR 939 Hardwick Game Farm v Suffolk Agricultural Poultry Producers Association [1969] 2 AC 31 Harris v Warre (1879) 4 CPD 125 Healthcare at Home Ltd v The Common Services Agency[2014] UKSC 49; 4 All ER 210 Hill v Van Erp [1997] HCA 9; 188 CLR 159 Innes v AAL Aviation Ltd [2017] FCAFC 202; 259 FCR 246 Ipstar Australia Pty Ltd v APS Satellite Pty Ltd[2018] NSWCA 15; 329 FLR 149 Jenyns v Public Curator (Qld)(1953) 90 CLR 113 Jewson Ltd v Boyhan[2003] EWCA Civ 1030;[2004] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 505 Julstar Pty Ltd v Hart Trading Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 151 Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd[2019] HCA 32; 373 ALR 1 McNamara v Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal[2005] HCA 55; 221 CLR 646 Medtel Pty Ltd v Courtney[2003] FCAFC 151; 130 FCR 182 Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd v Peterson[2011] FCAFC 128; 196 FCR 145 Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Limited [2010] HCA 31; 241 CLR 357 Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd [2020] HCA 17; 377 ALR 209 Muschinski v Dodds [1985] HCA 78; (1985) 160 CLR 583 Nesbit v Porter [2000] NZCA 288; 2 NZLR 465 Ogden Industries Pty Ltd v Lucas[1970] AC 113; (1968) 118 CLR 32 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2015]...