The first Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is expected to affect business owners, sales staff and managers beginning January 1, 2011 when it gives consumers a new set of rights when availing of good or services.

The new law will take the place of 20 Commonwealth, State and Territory consumer protection and fair trading laws in the country. "The ACL represents one of the most significant reforms in the history of Australian consumer protection. It will reduce the cost of doing business and will provide consumers with greater protection by simplifying and harmonizing fair trading laws across the nation," said Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, the Hon. David Bradbury.

"The ACL covers a comprehensive range of consumer protections including product safety, consumer guarantees, rules governing lay-by agreements and door-to-door selling, and unfair contract terms in standard consumer agreements such as banking contracts and mobile phone plans." The changes effectively puts into place a single national product safety system that aims to allow swift action when saferty rules are broken despite state boundaries.

"From New Year's Day - in time for the January sales - every consumer will have legal minimum guarantees on the goods and services they buy. Where these guarantees are not satisfied, suppliers, manufacturers and importers must remedy the problem by repair, replacement or refund," Bradbury said. The law also includes guarantees that compel a business to find a solution to a consumer complaint.