A good current example of a s52 matter

From the free CCH Online service

http://www.cch.com.au/au/News/ShowNews.aspx?ID=32869&Type=F&TopicIDNews=7&CategoryIDNews=0&u_i=113362

A face case ...

Thanks to the IPKat for this one

http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2009/08/choc-shock-as-ex-child-wins-face-off.html

reminiscent of Homer Simpson's Mr Sparkle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUNHwP2q7bA

Great Australian Story this week - David v Goliath patent battle

Watch it online:

http://www.abc.net.au/austory/

Being a grieving fan - not a defence to copyright infringement

http://www.theage.com.au/national/jackson-fan-fined-for-pirating-music-20090812-eibc.html

SOme more on Michael Jackson IP

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gcgZSOHfS8E0D4mqmDq5hIN6X1NQD99RC7K80

Seems he never registered 'King of Pop'

Don't know if Snape was in on these seizures

http://www.theage.com.au/national/police-bust-harry-potter-piracy-ring-20090806-ea8s.html

Another click-fraud action against Google

Complaint can viewed here

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18065300/Price-v-Facebook-Complaint

Roger Gamble and I had a piece in The Age today

http://business.theage.com.au/business/consumer-rights-dont-check-out-in-shops-20090803-e78y.html

Some interesting findings that retail staff, including those who have
received training on consumer were less likely to undertstand and
correctly apply the law as 'average' consumers.

This is borne out anecdotally from the discussions with students -
many of whom work in retail and share experiences from their
workplaces that seem to align with our findings.

update in the Men at Work case

http://www.theage.com.au/national/men-at-work-one-step-closer-to-losing-royalties-20090730-e28k.html

More on real estate regulation

Estate agent conduct also in Graeme Samuel's sights

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/19/2629940.htm

The full text of the bill is here

Essentially one of the proposals is that s new section 76E be inserted, providing for pecuniary penalties, for breaches of 'a provision of Division 1 of Part V (other than s52)'.

This means that breaches of the various specific false/misleading representation provisions (including 'aiding/abetting/inducing etc') in s53 would potentially give rise to substantial penalties.

This change obviously goes well beyond misconduct by real estate agents.

Real Estate Underquoting

Last year I conducted some research on behalf of the Victorian Department of Justice, Consumer Affairs Victoria.

The report from this research has recently been released and is available here:

Residential Property Advertising in Victoria

Some media coverage of enforcement actions by Consumer Affairs Victoria arising from alleged underquoting here:

http://www.news.com.au/business/money/story/0,28323,25851463-5013951,00.html