The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will increase its focus this year on misleading and deceptive practices, anti-competitive conduct and unfair contract terms affecting small businesses.

“I can foreshadow that we will have a big focus on unfair contracts… following the introduction of new laws to protect small business [last year],” Chairman Rod Sims said.

“What that means is large companies can no longer have unilateral terms in their standard contracts that put small businesses at a significant disadvantage.”

The watchdog has also warned it will push for penalties large enough to deter misbehaviour.

“We will be making concerted efforts to ensure the penalties we seek make larger companies and individuals who work in them consider their business practices and how their business practices meet their obligations under competition and consumer law,” Mr Sims said.

The health and energy sectors will be key areas of attention this year, Mr Sims told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event in Sydney last week.