Section 207 — Competition and Consumer Act 2010: Reasonable mistake of fact

(1) In a prosecution for a contravention of a provision of this Chapter, it is a defence if the defendant proves that the contravention was caused by a reasonable mistake of fact, including a mistake of fact caused by reasonable reliance on information supplied by another person. (2) However, subsection (1) does not apply in relation to information relied upon by the defendant that was supplied to the defendant by another person who was, at the time when the contravention occurred: (a) an employee or agent of the defendant; or (b) if the defendant is a body corporate—a director, employee or agent of the defendant. (3) If a defence provided by subsection (1) involves an allegation that a contravention was due to reliance on information supplied by another person, the defendant is not entitled to rely on that defence unless: (a) the court gives leave; or (b) the defendant has, not later than 7 days before the day on which the hearing of the proceeding commences, served on the person who instituted the proceeding a written notice giving such information as the defendant then had that would identify or assist in identifying the other person.