The ACCC has decided not to object to the notification lodged by Rivawine Collaboration Pty Ltd (Rivawine), on behalf of a group of 11 wine grape growers in the Riverland region of South Australia, to enable:
- growers within the group to act collectively in selling wine grapes to Rivawine and/or
- Rivawine to negotiate, collectively on behalf of growers within the group, with wine companies and other wine grape purchasers.
Collective bargaining is voluntary for growers within the group, as well as for the wine companies and wine grape purchasers. The notification effectively provides a legal exemption; collective bargaining by growers who are each other’s competitors may otherwise breach competition laws.
The notification was lodged on 28 November 2018 and the ACCC has decided to allow the notification to remain in force for a period of 10 years, until 27 November 2028, unless the notification is withdrawn or revoked.
For more information, please refer to the Collective Bargaining public register.