Professionals have been subject to the provisions of the Trade Practices Act since 1996.

Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said that many practising professionals are still not fully aware of their rights and responsibilities and that each year ACCC investigates complaints about breaches of the Act.

The Professions and the Trade Practices Act outlines simple steps that associations can take to minimise the likelihood of breaching the Act. These include:

• The obligations of professional associations to ensure that their membership rules and codes of conduct are not anti-competitive, and to educate their members about their legal obligations.
• The obligations of professionals in their dealings with fellow professionals and clients.
• The processes through which professionals can seek immunity from breaching the anti-competitive provisions of the Act where the public benefits arising from their conduct are significant.