Under the Australian Consumer Law, unfair terms in standard form contracts with consumers can be declared void, but small businesses (who are often subject to the same power imbalance when negotiating agreements with large suppliers) have to date had no protection under that regime.
On 18 August 2015, a Bill to extend protections against
unfair contract terms to small businesses passed the House of Representatives.
The Treasury Legislation Amendment (Small Business and Unfair Contract Terms)
Bill 2015 (Cth) has already been referred to the Senate Economics Legislation
Committee which is due to report on the legislation on 14 September 2015.
