Recent legislation has been introduced in the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland to proscribe the practice of pyramid selling. Australian Capital Territory — Pyramid Selling Ordinance 1973 (No. 56). Queensland — Pyramid Selling Schemes Elimination Act 1973 (No. 87).

The New South Wales Government is to challenge in the High Court the Australian Government’s Petroleum Minerals Authority Bill, passed Aug. 7. The Bill provides for a government authority to explore for and develop oil and mineral resources.

A Bill before the Australian Legislature makes provision for the payment of benefits in respect of incapacity as the result of sickness (including personal injury), for the payment of widows’ pensions and certain other benefits and for purposes connected therewith. The Act binds Australia and each state. It makes provisions for a director-general of national compensation; the benefits in respect of personal injury, sickness; rates of benefit; widows’ pensions; lodging of claims for benefit; appeals; variation of benefits.

The overall objective is a universal and comprehensive scheme designed to eleviate problems of persons inflicted by physical or mental incapacity that adversely affects the quality of their lives.

The Trade Practices Bill 1974 is before the Australian Legislature. It is to replace the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1971/73, and also makes provisions for the protection of consumers from certain unfair practices. It provides the setting up of a trade practices commission, the trade practices tribunal; sets out certain restrictive trade practices; defines, under the part concerned with consumer protection, unfair practices; conditions of warranties in consumer transactions; provides for enforcement and remedies; authorisations and clearances in respect of restrictive trade practices; resale price maintenance; review by tribunal of determinations and commissions. Part 10 of the Bill is concerned with overseas cargo shipping. It provides for the filing of conference agreements; powers in relation to conference agreements; powers in relation to individual shipowners; and other general matters and simple remedies.