Friday, June 4, 2021
On 1 June 2021, the Australian Government released amendments to the Franchising Code of Conduct and a number of these have already begun to apply. A summary of when various key changes take effect is set out below.
From 2 June 2021: amendments have taken effect regarding dispute resolution which apply to all disputes notified on or after 2 June 2021 (even if the agreement was entered into before that date). The changes mean there are additional dispute resolution options available (such as voluntary arbitration, conciliation, and multi-party alternative dispute resolution), and rapid appointment of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioner/arbitrator is contemplated for certain disputes. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) will now oversee all dispute resolution advisor functions.