The consumer watchdog has launched legal action in Adelaide against an art wholesaler and retailer, alleging some of its Aboriginal paintings and other pieces are fakes.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched proceedings in the Federal Court in Adelaide against Australian Dreamtime Creations Ltd and its director Tony Antoniou.
The action alleges the company sold paintings to retail outlets in various states and from its website that it claimed were painted by a person of Aboriginal descent, an artist named Ubanoo Brown.
But the ACCC said this was not the case and it also alleged carved wooden artworks the company sold as Australian-made were actually made in Indonesia.
"The ACCC alleges that Australian Dreamtime Creations has engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and made false or misleading representations about the country of origin of goods in breach of the Trade Practices Act," the ACCC said in a statement.
"The ACCC also alleges that company director Tony Antoniou was knowingly concerned in the conduct."
The ACCC said it would seek various orders including declarations, injunctions and corrective notices, costs and an order that Mr Antoniou attend training in trade practices law.
The case will come before the court in Adelaide on July 6.
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