Disability and aged care support platform Mable has been compelled by Australia’s consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to remove a series of unfair contract terms from its agreements. This intervention marks a significant victory for people with disability and the support workers who rely on such platforms for care services.

The ACCC's investigation found that Mable’s terms of use, active between November 2023 and August 2024, granted the company excessive authority over its users while severely restricting their capacity to dispute charges or discontinue using the platform without incurring penalties. Key contentious terms included the automatic approval of invoices after just 24 hours, even if clients had not reviewed or agreed to the timesheet. Furthermore, Mable imposed a hefty $5,000 penalty on clients or workers attempting to continue their working relationship outside of the platform. The terms also allowed Mable to alter fees and conditions at its discretion without prior notice, and controversially, shifted all legal liability to users, compelling them to cover Mable’s enforcement costs.

ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe highlighted that these terms constituted a breach of the Australian Consumer Law. She stated, “We were concerned that the terms, which Mable has admitted were unfair, were so weighted in Mable’s favour that they created a significant imbalance in the contractual rights and obligations between Mable and its clients and support workers.” Lowe emphasized the ACCC's ongoing commitment to monitoring the disability and aged care sector, warning businesses that have not yet reviewed their contracts to amend or remove unfair terms.

In response to the ACCC’s findings, Mable agreed to a court-enforceable undertaking in June 2025. The company acknowledged the unfairness of the terms and committed to eradicating all problematic clauses, providing more transparent and upfront information about key terms, and implementing a comprehensive compliance program to guarantee future contract fairness. This crucial change was facilitated by new legislation introduced in late 2023, which augmented regulators’ powers to penalize businesses employing unfair terms in standard form contracts, a pervasive issue within tech-based service platforms.

The outcome brings considerable relief to Mable’s users. Individuals with disability were previously at risk of being charged for services they had not consciously approved and were effectively trapped by the threat of penalties if they sought to maintain a support worker relationship off-platform. Similarly, support workers, often operating as sole traders, faced the daunting prospect of legal costs or fines for continuing care arrangements independently of Mable. Critics have pointed to these terms as a troubling example of the gig economy’s less desirable aspects infiltrating the vital care sector.

While Mable has now rectified its practices, the ACCC has made it clear that its scrutiny of the broader sector persists. Other platforms, though not yet subject to similar enforcement actions, are effectively on notice. The ACCC’s comprehensive review of the NDIS and aged care sector is ongoing, signaling that providers exploiting vulnerable users through exploitative fine print may soon face repercussions. For disability communities, this case underscores that contracts should be free from hidden pitfalls, and Mable’s concession demonstrates that accountability is achievable, though often requiring regulatory oversight, legal pressure, and public awareness to enforce. Ensuring that “choice and control” are not merely slogans but fundamental rights in every care interaction remains a collective responsibility for providers, participants, and advocates alike.