ACCC to be directed to conduct 12 month supermarket inquiry

The guilty pleas relate to allegations that Aussie Skips and Bingo Industries agreed to increase and fix prices for the supply of skip bins and related services.

‘I’ve seen lives destroyed’ - Jessica Yun examines Delia Rickard’s time at the ACCC fighting scammers.

Telstra deal to acquire majority share in Fetch TV gets green light

Statement of Issues published setting out competition concerns over THL-Apollo deal

The Commonwealth Director of Prosecutions has withdrawn charges against Citigroup, Deutsche bank and senior banking executives relating to criminal cartel allegations.

John Durie has an opinion piece out today asking if the ACCC’s new Chair can ‘fix Australia’s competition policy vacuum’?

Gina Cass-Gottlieb to take over as ACCC boss in March 2022

The ACCC is seeking leave to intervene in Epic’s appeal against the Federal Court decision to stay proceedings.

Google has completed its acquisition of Fitbit. This comes while the ACCC was still conducting an informal review. The ACCC had previously released a statement of issues and rejected a proposed undertaking. The matter has become an enforcement investigation for the ACCC.

Stephan Brook and Nick Bonyhady, ‘Google admits to removing local news content in 'experiment'‘ (SMH, 13 January 2021)

The AFR has some items today on the year ahead for big tech

Jason Ellis, former general manager of sales and marketing at BlueScope Steel Limited, has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment for inciting the obstruction of an ACCC cartel investigation.

The Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2020 was introduced into the House of Representatives on 9 December 2020.

The AFR reports that Sims will press the federal government for tougher merger laws, including changes to shop big banks buying emerging fintechs. Specific proposals are expected in 2021.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth have recently published some commentary on the future of access regimes for non-vertically integrated monopolies in light of this decision.

The ACCC has commenced an informal review of the proposed merger between Aon and Willis Towers Watson, currently the second and third largest insurance brokers in the world.

Facebook has now added to Google’s attacks on the proposed platforms/media code of conduct in the form of a blog by local managing director, Will Easton.