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Refining the Right to Information in Vietnamese Consumer Law: Insights from Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2021

Lam Uyen Lu  and
Niloufer Selvadurai
Lam Uyen Lu*
Affiliation:
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Niloufer Selvadurai
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Australia
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: lamuyen@ueh.edu.vn
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Abstract

In upholding a consumer's right to information, regulations prohibiting misleading or deceptive conduct perform a critical role in supporting consumer welfare and encouraging equity in business and commerce. While Vietnam enacted a Law on Consumer Protection in 2010, its provisions in this area are limited in ambit and application. In order to improve the effectiveness of a consumer's right to information in Vietnam, it is useful to examine the Australia Consumer Law which has a sophisticated regulatory framework in this area. By comparing the laws prohibiting misleading or deceptive conduct in the Vietnamese Law on Consumer Protection and the Australia Consumer Law, this article identifies certain similarities and differences between the two legal systems, thereby clarifying shortcomings that can lead to inadequacies and inefficiencies of this area of the law and providing a platform for law reform in Vietnam.

Keywords

Australian Consumer LawConsumer LawConsumer ProtectionConsumer's Right to InformationDeceptive ConductMisleadingVietnamese Law
Type
Article
Information
Asian Journal of Comparative Law , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , July 2021 , pp. 61 - 83
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the National University of Singapore

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44 Sylvan (n 42) 192.

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46 Productivity Commission (n 43) 27.

47 ibid.

48 Howard Beales, Richard Craswell & Steven C Salop, ‘The Efficient Regulation of Consumer Information’ (1981) 24 The Journal of Law & Economics 491, 493.

49 Standing Committee of Officials of Consumer Affairs, ‘An Australian Consumer Law: Fair Markets – Confident Consumers’ (Treasury of Australia, 17 February 2009).

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55 ibid 57.

56 ibid 56, 57. Chambers and Wedel enumerate types of basic policy elements of administration and service delivery including centralization, federation, case management, referral agency, indigenous worker staffing, racially oriented agencies, administrative fair hearing, due process protections for clients’ procedural rights and citizen participation.

57 LCP, art 10.

58 Tam Le Minh, ‘Building Up and Improving the Vietnamese Legal System – Issues on Theory and Practice [Xay dung va hoan thien he thong phap luat Viet Nam - Nhung van de ly luan va thuc tien]’ [2003] People's Public Security 212, 213.

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61 The Vietnamese Commercial Law 2005

62 The Vietnamese Competition Law 2018

63 The Vietnamese Advertising Law 2012.

64 Article 156.3 of The Vietnamese Law on Promulgation of Legal Normative Documents 2015 stipulates that ‘if various legal normative documents promulgated by the same agency contain different regulations on the same issue, the one that is promulgated later shall apply’. In accordance with this regulation, it is impossible for courts and governmental bodies to apply different regulatory provisions of many different laws that regulate the same issues relating to consumer protection.

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66 The Vietnamese Law on Measurement 2011.

67 The Vietnamese Law on Quality of Goods and Services 2007.

68 The Vietnamese Commercial Law 2005.

69 The Vietnamese Commercial Law 2005, art 123.

70 The Vietnamese Commercial Law 2005, art 97.

71 ibid.

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81 Rhone-Poulenc Agrochimie SA (n 77) 490.

82 Corones (n 74) 100. Corones analyzes the case Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Limited [2010] HCA 31.

83 Corones (n 74) 101.

84 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594.

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97 Singtel Optus Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2012] FCAFC 20.

98 Hornsby Building Information Centre Ltd v Sydney Building Information Centre Ltd (1978) 140 CLR 216 at 228; 18 ALR 639 at 647 (Stephen J); CLR 234; ALR 651 (Murphy J).

99 Seven Network Ltd v News Interactive Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 1047; 63 IPR 28.

100 Lockhart (n 73) 85. Lockhart analyzes the cases World Series Cricket Pty Ltd v Parish [1977] 16 ALR 181 [201] per Brennan J; Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 [88], 55 ALR 25 [30] per Powen CJ, Lockhart and Fitzgerald JJ.

101 Lockhart (n 73). Lockhart refers to the cases Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd [1982] 149 CLR 191; Campell v Backoffice Investment Pty Ltd [2009] HCA 25, 238 CLR 304; 257 ALR 610 para 25 (French CJ); ACCC v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54; 304 ALR 186 para 39(French CJ, Crennan, Bell and Keane JJ).

102 Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspaper Ltd [1984] ATPR para 40–463.

103 Svantesson (n 75) 19.

104 Lockhart (n 73) 89.

105 Lockhart (n 73) 88.

106 Taco Company of Australia Inc. & Anor. v. Taco Bell Pty. Ltd. & Ors. (1982) ATPR para 40-303.

107 McWilliam's Wines Pty Ltd v McDonald's System of Australia Pty Ltd [1980] FCA 188; 49 FLR 455.

108 Lockhart (n 73) 96.

109 Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191.

110 Lockhart (n 73) 97.

111 ibid 100.

112 ibid 100.

113 ibid 101.

114 ibid.

115 (1982) ATPR para 40–303.

116 Svantesson (n 75) 19–20.

117 ibid 19. Svantesson refers to the case Seven Network Ltd v News Interactive Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 1047; 63. IPR 28.

118 ibid 20. Svantesson refers to the case Campomar Sociedad v Nike International Ltd. [2000] HCA 12; 202 CLR 45; 169 ALR 677.

119 .au Domain Administration Ltd v Domain Names Australia Pry Ltd [2004] FCA 424.

120 Telstra Corporation Limited v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1372 (25 Sep 2020).

121 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54 (12 Dec 2013.

122 Lockhart (n 73) 108.

123 Lockhart (n 73) 113.

124 Andrew Palmer, ‘The Scope of the Similar Fact Rule’ (1994) 16 Adelaide Law Review 161, 161.

125 Bernard Robertson & Amelia Wheatley, ‘Similar Fact Evidence in Civil Proceedings: Proof or Policy’ (2007) 26 University of Queensland Law Journal 99, 102.

126 Hoch v The Queen (1988) 165 CLR 292 (5 Oct 1988).

127 ibid.

128 Lockhart (n 73) 115.

129 Lockhart (n 73) 117. Lockhart refers and analyzes the cases WEA International Inc v Hanimex Corp Ltd [1987] 17 FCR 274, 280; 77 ALR 456, 462 (Gummow J) (Fed Ct); Interlego AG v Croner Trading Pty Ltd [1992] 39 FCR 348, 388; 111 ALR 577, 618 (Gummow J) (Balck CJ and Lockhart agreeing); Netcomm (Aust) Pty Ltd v Dataplex Pty Ltd [1988] 81 ALR 101, 105 (Gummow J) (Fed Ct); QDSV Holdings Pty Ltd v TPC [1995] 59 FCR 301, 311; 131 ALR 493, 502 (Sackville J) (Full Fed Ct); Horgan v Pacific Dunlop Ltd [1988] 83 ALR 403 para 234 (Gummow J) (Fed Ct); Thai World Import and Export Co Ltd v Shuey Shing Pty Ltd [1989] 17 IPR 289, 296; [1990] ATPR para 40–988 (Gummow J) (Fed Ct).

130 Russell Victor Miller, Miller's Australian Competition and Consumer Law Annotated (Thomson Reuters (Professional) Australia Ltd 2017) 1583.

131 ibid 1583.

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133 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592 para 32.

134 Henjo Investments Pty Ltd v Collins Marrickville Pty Ltd (No 1) 4 (1988) 39 FCR 546, 555.

135 ibid.

136 ibid.

137 Chew, Charles, ‘The scope and limitations of the doctrine of misleading or deceptive conduct in the context of guarantees: some perspectives and uncertainties’ (2006) 3 Macquarie Journal of Business Law 79Google Scholar, 88.

138 Accounting Systems 2000 (Developments) Pty Ltd v CCH Australia Ltd (1993) 42 FCR 488.

139 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592.

140 Google Inc v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2013] HCA 1; 249 CLR 435.

141 ibid.

142 Lockhart (n 73) 127.

143 Consumer protection regulation in relation to financial services is regulated by The Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act (2001) (Cth).

144 To make regulations more detailed, the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 (the Information Standard) was made in accordance with the ACL (cl 134, effective 1 July 2016).