The reclusive head of TPG Telecom, David Teoh, faced the spotlight on Wednesday to give evidence in a case over the company’s planned $15 billion merger with Vodafone, telling a court under questioning that his company had not budgeted for a 5G network when it first made plans to enter the retail mobile network market.
From October 1, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will apply an updated cartel immunity and cooperation policy, with the changes said to reflect the ACCC’s experiences from key criminal investigations undertaken to date. The ACCC is also launching an online portal to allow whistleblowers to anonymously report alleged cartel conduct directly to the ACCC. Here, King & Wood Mallesons partner Peta Stevenson and senior associate Jacqueline Ibrahim tells you what you need to know about these significant developments.
BVivid has become the latest telco to cop penalties from the consumer watchdog over National Broadband Network marketing, after it admitted to cold-calling consumers and telling them they would be disconnected if they did not immediately switch over.
The competition regulator’s opposition to the proposed $15 billion merger of telecommunications companies Vodafone and TPG was based on “mere possibilities” and was “chock full of speculation”, the Federal Court heard Tuesday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has won its bid to continue proceedings against the insolvent operator of the Jump! swim school franchise and its director, with a court finding the case was in the public interest.
Electronics giant LG has been ordered to pay a $160,000 penalty after its call centre workers misled two complaining customers about their rights to replace a faulty television or get a refund under the Australian Consumer Law.
Recent high-profile court losses will do nothing to deter the competition and consumer watchdog according to ACCC boss Rod Sims, who says he “does not want a 100 per cent success rate” because it would mean the regulator was not being sufficiently aggressive.
The competition regulator is opposing a deal to combine two of Australia’s largest manufacturers of chilled ready meals, and fired a warning shot to companies and administrators who fail to ensure the watchdog is notified of deals with close competitiors.
Ashley & Martin signed up 25,000 customers to its hair loss program on contracts that put them on the hook for paying for treatment they didn’t receive, a judge has found.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has failed in its challenge to a ruling that dismissed its bid-rigging case over mining exploration licences involving Cascade Coal and the sons of jailed Labor politician Eddie Obeid.