ACCC Chairman, Rod Sims, has expressed concern about a lack of competition in retail banking and stated that he would be speaking to the Treasurer about the scope of the next regular ACCC inquiry into the sector.

The IP exemption in s 51(3) of the Competition and Consumer Act has now been repealed. See Guidelines on the repeal of subsection 51(3) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (August 2019).

The ACCC will not oppose the proposed acquisition of Australian Independent Rural Retailers by Elders. The ACCC considered the potential for vertical integration concerns, but noted that market feedback 'suggested that most independent retailers consider they have sufficient alternative supply options if Elders attempted to discriminate against them'.

The ACCC has opposed the proposed acquisition of Jewel Fine Foods by B&J City Kitchen. ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, stated that the ACCC believed the proposed acquisition would be 'likely to substantially lessen competition for the supply of chilled ready meals' as it would 'combine the two major players in this market, concentrating most of the manufacturing capacity of chilled ready meals in one business'.

The Federal Court has dismissed the ACCC's appeal in the Cascade Coal cartel case

ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, has delivered his annual address to the Law Council of Australia’s (Competition and Consumer Committee) Workshop in Melbourne.

The CDPP has laid charges against Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS (WWO), a Norwegian-based global shipping company, alleging criminal cartel conduct.

The ACCC has not opposed Landmark's proposed acquisition of Ruralco.

See ACCC media release and merger register.

The ACCC has released a statement of issues outlining preliminary competition concerns about Emergent Cold's proposed acquisition of Oxford. The merger would reduce the number of large Victorian suppliers of cold storage services from four to three.

ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, delivered an address to the Melbourne Press Club about the Digital Platforms Inquiry. The focus is, naturally enough, recommendations relating to media, but it includes some broader discussion about the core recommendations and about ongoing investigations into Facebook and Google.

In an attempt to avoid going a whole year without a blog news update, let’s review what’s been happening since the last blog post in June 2018 …

The ACCC announced it would not oppose Nine-Fairfax merger.

It’s all happening in Australian competition law. …

The reasons for judgment have been released in the Tabcorp/Tatts judicial review matter. Of the ACCC’s three grounds of judicial review only the first succeeded; the Court held that the Tribunal erred in not assessing certain detriment alleged by the ACCC.