Frank Zumbo
Frank Zumbo is an Associate Professor within the School of Business Law and Taxation at the University of New South Wales. Frank has been a tireless consumer advocate and is one of Australia’s leading commentators on competition, consumer and franchising law.
During the past 20 years Frank has been at the forefront of business law reform. This has included drafting the “Birdsville Amendment” to effectively outlaw predatory pricing, as well as drafting the proposed “Blacktown Amendment” requiring that companies charge the same low price for the same product in all their retail outlets in the same area.
His research and professional activities are focused on competition and consumer law; franchising and Business Ethics. He has been closely involved in promoting effective laws against unethical corporate behaviour and in ensuring that Australia has the best possible competition and consumer laws.
Frank has served in an expert capacity on Federal and State Government Advisory Committees and is a longstanding adviser to Governments, Members of Parliament, and industry associations on business law and policy issues
Articles by Frank Zumbo
The NBN juggernaut could turn into a white elephant
As the National Broadband Network juggernaut rolls on, one has to wonder if any thought has been given to the…... Read more
The death of brands is much closer than you think
The so-called supermarket milk price war is not the only thing heating up. The debate surrounding the future of brand…... Read more
Let’s get medieval on insurance company’s arses
With the fate of the proposed flood levy hanging in the balance as we await the outcome of negotiations between…... Read more
Don’t be fooled, the supermarkets are milking us
With Australia continuing to have some of the fastest growing food prices in the developed world, you have to wonder…... Read more
Swan’s bank package is a fizzer
Have you had a close look at Wayne Swan’s December 2010 bank package? Don’t worry if you haven’t yet as…... Read more
A cosy club: Why we pay more at the store
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and successive governments have failed to curb retailers’ increasing market power, which is why…... Read more
Why petrol is so freakin’ expensive during the holidays
Were you watching petrol prices in the lead up to Christmas 2010? If you were, then you would have noticed…... Read more
NBN: A potential national financial disaster?
Will the NBN ever be financially viable? The short answer is most likely “No”. If there were suspicions in the…... Read more
12 things Wayne Swan can do to tackle the Big 4 banks
As the public anger against the four big banks continues, we wait with an air of expectation for Wayne Swan’s…... Read more
Time for federal govt to penalise rogue franchisors
With Australian franchising under threat from the rogue franchisors giving the sector a bad name and destroying the livelihood of…... Read more
How Swan can actually make the banks pay
As the four big banks continue to act as a law unto themselves it’s time for Wayne Swan to match…... Read more
Our toothless consumer watchdog
Have you ever wondered what impact our competition regulator, the ACCC, is really having? Well just ask around small business…... Read more
Exposing the franchising trap
Have you or anyone you know owned a franchised business? If not, are you considering buying a franchised business? More…... Read more
The great import rip-off: why isn’t everything cheaper?
Have you been getting excited at the rise of the Aussie dollar? Well, you should be. Of course, those planning…... Read more
So who really is the new Labor competition minister?
While enjoying a nice Saturday afternoon news came through that Julia had announced her new ministry. Immediately this author combed…... Read more
Three cheers for a hung parliament
As we patiently await the formation of the next federal government we should pause to reflect on what a hung…... Read more
Big banks laughing all the way to the… bank
With the Commonwealth Bank announcing a record profit last week you have to wonder if the big banks are laughing…... Read more
This town ain’t big enough for two petrol sheriffs
Do you know that we have an ACCC Petrol Commissioner? If so, do you know the person’s name and what…... Read more
Craig, let’s discuss your shortcomings over coffee
Federal Small Business Minister, Craig Emerson has taken the Federal Government’s spin and smear approach to policy issues to new…... Read more
Transparent fuel and grocery prices: time for another go?
Have you ever wondered where you can buy the cheapest petrol or groceries? Well, if you have, then you would…... Read more
So who really is campaigning for small business?
Well, well, you know that there is an election coming when politicians get a bit more sensitive. That’s the thing…... Read more
Somebody needs to stand up and protect small business
While small businesses and franchisees are the engine room of the economy, it’s disappointing that only lip service is currently…... Read more
Is anyone really standing up for small business?
While politicians are always quick to say “feel good” things about small businesses being the “engine room” of the economy,…... Read more
National broadband network: fact or fiction
Will we ever get a viable “national broadband network” or NBN? Well, that depends on how Senator Stephen Conroy, the…... Read more
Why Australian motorists are still under the pump
With petrol prices on the rise again and a federal election fast approaching, the Federal Government is scrambling to get…... Read more
People get Costco, but does the Minister?
Do consumers want cheaper prices and greater product choices? Of course they do and that’s why it is essential that…... Read more
Buyer beware cause business is getting its way
With consumers already being let down so badly on grocery issues by Mr Rudd and his Competition Minister Craig Emerson,…... Read more
What are you really doing about grocery prices, PM?
With a federal election fast approaching it’s time for voters to start evaluating Mr Rudd’s performance on supermarket issues. For…... Read more
Sit back and enjoy as the four banks gouge you
If it wasn’t enough that Australians consistently face some of the fastest growing food prices in the developed world as…... Read more
The supermarkets’ ongoing ‘conspiracy against the poor’
Well, well, we’ve had another couple of rounds in the battle of the supermarket PR wars. First, we saw Woolworths…... Read more
Check it out - a bizarre week of supermarket spin
Last week we were treated to a bizarre week of self-congratulatory media releases by Coles and Woolworths. Was this just…... Read more
Canberra can do more to cut petrol prices
As we enter an election year it’s opportune to reflect on the Federal Government’s track record on petrol issues. In…... Read more
Beware government gimmicks in this election year
Sadly for consumers, Governments of all persuasions are often tempted to offer gimmicks rather than direct action in dealing with…... Read more
Thanks for doing nothing for consumers in 09 Mr Rudd
As with all governments there is the irresistible urge to pass the buck as a way of trying to deflect…... Read more
Phone tapping powers ring changes on petrol prices
With growing evidence that cosy clubs between large and powerful companies are bad for competition and consumers, the Federal Government…... Read more
We need action not excuses from the supermarket duopoly
With struggling Aussie families paying consistently more for their food and groceries than other developed countries we need to take…... Read more
Mr Emerson, tear down this supermarket duopoly
It’s official. We are getting ripped off on food and grocery prices. A review of OECD statistics over the past…... Read more
Hardware stores that are anything but Danks
A couple of week ago our competition regulator – the ACCC – expressed some serious competition concerns with Woolworths’ proposed…... Read more
Why do the big four banks rule? Go to the supermarket
With the 4 major banks pushing up interest rates at will and the Federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan, looking increasingly impotent…... Read more
Coles and Woolies are still getting away with it
So how do companies like Coles and Woolworths protect themselves from competition? Well it’s simple really. All they need to…... Read more
Petrol wars: siphoning off Paul to pay Peter
Have you ever wondered why Coles Express petrol stations in adjoining suburbs have different prices for unleaded petrol? Ever wondered…... Read more
Copping a servo: stop Caltex buying Mobil’s stations
For those of us concerned about competition and consumer law issues there comes a time when the case for action…... Read more
Woolies is about to hammer the home hardware market
Should we be excited about Woolworths’ plans to expand its share of the hardware and home improvement market? Well that…... Read more
The GFC killed competition to the big four banks
With a growing feeling that the worst of the global financial crisis may be behind us, it’s a good time…... Read more
Rating the independence of our competition watchdog
As a long time advocate of effective competition and consumer laws, one is in no doubt that the enactment of…... Read more
Coles or Woolworths you get screwed either way on petrol
Have you ever thought that you were being taken for a ride on petrol prices? Well, you have! So how…... Read more
How the feds fitted up Choice over grocery shambles
Ever wondered how a Government kills off an embarrassing policy failure? Well, we saw a textbook example one late Friday…... Read more
Watching the government watching prices
With competition failing or under serious threat in key sectors of the economy, the Federal Government is struggling to find…... Read more
The real crisis isn’t the GFC, it’s lack of competition
While everyone knows about the current financial crisis, few people know of Australia’s other crisis. That other crisis involves the…... Read more
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