The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has completed its investigation that Greenpeace, and some major oil companies, may have contravened the Trade Practices Act 1974 in relation to the oil companies' acquisition of naptha from Southern Pacific Petroleum.
It was alleged that Greenpeace may have made arrangements with some oil companies to the effect that the companies would not purchase the by-product naptha from Southern Pacific Petroleum.
The ACCC's investigation concluded that there was no breach of the competition provisions of the Act. This was because the oil companies who refused to purchase the product had each done so as a result of independent commercial decisions.
ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said that there was no evidence that Greenpeace and the oil companies had come to any arrangement, agreement or understanding in relation to the acquisition of naptha.
"Normally the ACCC would not comment on any investigation which was under way", he said. "However, in this case, there was publicity about the matter by other parties that an investigation was under way. It is now closed".