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Articles on ACCC

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Coles has admitted it acted unconscionably towards suppliers, and a new code of conduct may not be enough to clean up the industry. Julian Smith/AAP

Too big to care: will Coles and Woolies lift their game in 2015?

Coles and Woolworths spent much of 2014 defending their behaviour in court. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) brought several actions against one or both of them throughout the…
ACCC Chair Rod Sims could soon see some of the regulator’s powers taken away. Alan Porritt/AAP

Why handing NBN oversight to a new regulator is a recipe for failure

Both the Harper competition policy review, and the more recent Vertigan NBN market and regulatory review have widespread implications for economic regulation. The reports are different in scope and their…
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull is revisiting well-trodden telecommunications competition issues. Gary Schafer/AAP

Turnbull leaves door open to break up NBN Co

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not ruled out a proposal by the expert panel reviewing the telecommunications industry to break up and sell off parts of NBN Co. However Mr Turnbull, responding…
When big business misuses its market power, proving it can prove a challenge. Riccardo Cuppini/Flickr

Big business, market power and why we need more test cases

In advocating greater competition, less regulation and reduced red tape, the Harper Committee’s 300 page draft review of competition policy largely colours between the lines of its extremely broad terms…
Some price signalling can help consumers. Aaron Amat/Shutterstock

Why it’s time to scrap price signalling laws

Among the 52 recommendations contained in the draft report on Competition Policy from economist Ian Harper, is a suggestion price signalling laws established in 2011 be repealed. These laws currently make…
Professor Ian Harper, chair of the competition review, has surprised some with the review panel’s recommendations. Julian Smith/AAP

Harper competition review seeks widespread change: experts react

Restrictions on retail trading hours, taxis, pharmacies and parallel imports should be lifted according to a far-reaching draft report by the Competition Policy Review. Professor Ian Harper’s new report…
Australia’s corporate regulator wants to tackle what it believes is collusion in the petrol industry, but court action to date hasn’t really succeeded. AAP/Lukas Coch

Fixing the fixers of petrol prices is no easy task

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest foray into the difficult and politically charged arena of petrol pricing is just the latest in a long running saga that is unlikely to be resolved…
Medicines Australia code of conduct for pharmaceutical companies has attracted a large number of negative submissions. hobvias sudoneighm/Flickr

Pharmaceutical industry code of conduct fails to find favour

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is considering whether to approve the latest Medicines Australia code of conduct for pharmaceutical companies. The code lays out disclosure requirements…
With more private sector involvement in aged care, health and education, competitive neutrality will become more important than ever. Julian Smith/AAP

Government Inc: time to revisit competitive neutrality

A month after receiving the first round of submissions, the Harper review of competition policy is knuckling down to work. With around 300 submissions received to date, the range of issues raised is diverse…
The corporate regulator has gone after Coles for unconscionable conduct against smaller suppliers. AAP/Paul Miller

ACCC signals strategic change in battle with supermarkets

The corporate regulator’s ongoing battle with the major supermarket chains took an interesting twist on Monday when it alleged that Coles had engaged in unconscionable conduct against various small suppliers…
Companies that use drip pricing to lure customers in are being watched closely by the ACCC. theloushe/Flickr

The ACCC wants to take the drip out of pricing

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims has put drip pricing in online markets on the regulator’s hit list for the year ahead, warning there would “shortly be enforcement in this area”. It’s a welcome and overdue move…
Motorists can expect higher petrol prices in 2014…and beyond. David Crosling/AAP

No petrol price reprieve for motorists this year

Australia’s cost of living is among the highest in the world, despite our low inflation rate. In this series we explore what consumers can expect from the big ticket items - petrol, power and groceries…
The public versus private debate is oversimplified, and the situation is made worse by the hybrid nature of many so-called “public” organisations. Shutterstock

A privatisation message for the Commission of Audit

The Federal Government’s Commission of Audit reports at the end of this month. Tasked with identifying where efficiency and productivity improvements may be made across all areas of Commonwealth expenditure…
Some registered professions are being excluded from rebates for services they can provide. Image from shutterstock.com

Private health insurance rebates restrict consumer choice

The pre-Christmas announcement that private health insurance premiums will rise by an average of 6.2% in 2014 has raised concerns about affordability. But while consumers aren’t expected to drop their…
The Federal Government’s flagged a review of competition laws, the first in two decades. It will need to look at how duopoly grocery retailers push regulators to limit competition. AAP/Dean Lewins

Groceries, power & fuel: crunch time for competition review

The Government’s push to reform competition laws will continue next year with a review focusing on the key groceries, utilities and automotive fuel sectors. These are the sectors that most regularly affect…
Online shoppers find good reviews powerfully persuasive, but as many as 20% may not be genuine. AAP/Julian Smith

Spot the fake: shoppers get help with online reviews

Three cheers for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It recently released a guide for dealing with fake reviews, which in essence said fake reviews are unlawful. They can mislead…
A new grocery code of conduct provides new rules for a sector subject to price wars, but will not solve all market problems. Lukas Coch/AAP

Coles and Woolworths code useful, but beware disputes

Coles, Woolworths and the Food and Grocery Council have released a draft industry code of conduct to help govern their relationships with suppliers. The code will be “voluntary” under section 51AE of the…
How much will getting rid of the carbon price save households? AAP Image/Alan Porritt

Axing the carbon tax: saving households, costing climate

With the government introducing legislation to repeal the carbon price today, people might be wondering how much they will benefit from reduced cost of living. The government has continued to claim that…

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