In 2018, the maximum penalties for consumer law breaches increased substantially and the ACCC re-affirmed its commitment to seeking higher penalties for competition law breaches following an OECD Report highlighting Australia's comparatively light penalty regime. In 2019 and beyond, we expect the penalties sought by the ACCC and handed down by the Courts to increase dramatically for both consumer and competition law breaches. In light of this, it is increasingly important that businesses understand the investigation process, the role and powers of the ACCC and how to avoid common yet critical mistakes during an investigation by the ACCC into potential breaches of the Competition and Consumer Act. Ayman Guirguis (Partner), from our Competition Group, discusses the changes and key takeaways for your business in more detail.