ACCCount details the ACCC’s enforcement, compliance, merger, adjudication, economic regulation, market studies, advocacy and international activities.
During the July to September 2018 quarter:
- Four ACCC court proceeding were concluded, with a total of $17.1 million in penalties ordered, including:
- Oakmore Pty Ltd (trading as EGR) and its director Mr Rodney Horwill to pay penalties of $6.35 million for being knowingly concerned in exclusive dealing conduct with the purpose of substantially lessening competition
- Palram Australia, Ampelite Australia and a director to pay penalties totalling $5.5 million for exclusive dealing conduct with the purpose of substantially lessening competition
- H.J. Heinz Company Australia Ltd to pay penalties of $2.25 million for false or misleading representations
- Meriton Property Services Pty Ltd to pay penalties of $3 million for manipulating Trip Advisor reviews, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law
- Following an investigation by the ACCC, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions laid criminal charges against the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and its ACT Divisional Branch Secretary Jason O’Mara for alleged cartel conduct.
- The ACCC continues to monitor and oversee compliance with the compulsory Takata airbag recall. The ACCC released comprehensive state-by-state data detailing recall rates for Takata airbags and the first data detailing progress made by vehicle manufacturers in removing them from Australian cars under the compulsory recall.
- The ACCC released its second Measuring Broadband Australia report which showed that while most NBN fixed-line broadband customers are receiving relatively fast internet speeds, around 7 per cent of tests are still showing that some customers are receiving less than half of the maximum speed of their plan.
- The ACCC accepted a court enforceable undertaking from NBN Co under section 87B of the CCA which commits NBN Co to improve its wholesale service level terms and provide additional public reporting on its fixed wireless network.
- The ACCC released its June quarter 2018 petrol monitoring report which revealed that average petrol prices increased by 7 per cent in the past three months, hitting a four-year high in real terms of around 145 cents per litre in Australia’s five largest cities.
- The ACCC released its second in depth report on retail and wholesale petrol market shares in Australia under the new petrol monitoring direction issued by the then Treasurer in December 2017.