COMPETITION – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

China lobbies ACCC on Qantas alliance

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Original article by Matt O’Sullivan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 2-Jun-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) opposes an alliance between Qantas and China Eastern Airline on competition grounds. However, Chinese ambassador Ma Zhaoxu has asked ACCC chairman Rod Sims to take into account the relationship between the two nations when deciding whether to block the alliance. He argues that the deal will have no impact on competition. The ACCC is concerned that the two carriers would dominate the Sydney-Shanghai route.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TOURISM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, JETSTAR HONG KONG AIRWAYS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL PILOTS ASSOCIATION, TTF AUSTRALIA LIMITED TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM, TTF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, ETIHAD AIRWAYS

ACCC clears Federation-Novion merger

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 22-May-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has approved a $A12bn merger between Federation Centres and Novion Property Group. However, the merged entity will be required to divest either the Karingal Hub or Bayside shopping centre, which are both located in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston. Novion investors are scheduled to vote on the merger in late May 2015.

CORPORATES
FEDERATION CENTRES – ASX FDC, NOVION PROPERTY GROUP – ASX NVN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, KARINGAL HUB, BAYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, SHAYHER GROUP, CAPALABA CENTRAL

Hey Presto: Streaming joint venture gets ACCC green light

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 18-May-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has approved the Presto joint venture between Seven West Media and Foxtel. Presto’s Shaun James says this will allow the partners to substantially increase the content that is available on the video streaming service. Meanwhile, Fraser McLeish of Credit Suisse expects US-based Netflix to become the leading player in Australia’s video streaming sector. He forecasts that the industry will boast revenue of $A700m by 2023.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, STAN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, QUICKFLIX LIMITED – ASX QFX, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Glencore baulks over port prices

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins, Matthew Stevens
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 &28 : 14-May-15

Mining giant Glencore wants Australia’s National Competition Council to take action over a rise in shipping fees at the Port of Newcastle. It claims that navigation service charges for some ships have increased by around 60 per cent since the port was privatised in 2014. Glencore is pushing for the port to be "declared" under competition laws. There have also been demands for the Port of Melbourne to be regulated.

CORPORATES
GLENCORE PLC, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL COMPETITION COUNCIL, PORT OF NEWCASTLE, PORT OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, HASTINGS FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, CHINA MERCHANTS GROUP, PORT KEMBLA, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB, DP WORLD AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN LOGISTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

‘No reason to deny’ Qantas-China Eastern deal

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Original article by Matt O’Sullivan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 14-Apr-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) opposes an alliance between Qantas and China Eastern Airlines. However, the Department of Infrastructure & Regional Development’s submission on the regulator’s draft decision argues that the alliance will benefit travellers and the Australian economy. It takes the view that the ACCC has focused too much on the alliance’s impact on competition on the Sydney-Shanghai route

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, MALAYSIAN AIRLINE SYSTEMS, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE, AIR CHINA

ACCC frowns at China Eastern tie

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 25-Mar-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is concerned about a proposed alliance between Qantas and China Eastern Airlines. The ACCC has opposed the alliance in its draft ruling, arguing that the two carriers would dominate the Sydney-Shanghai route. ACCC chairman Rod Sims says he would be more willing to support an alliance between Qantas and carriers such as China Southern or Air China, as Qantas does not currently have flights to their main hubs

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AIR CHINA, CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES COMPANY LIMITED, CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED

ACCC pushes for powers to intervene in ports rents row

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 16-Mar-15

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims has proposed extending its powers to cover regulation of the nation’s ports. Sims has suggested that the ACCC could step in to resolve pricing disputes between port owners and stevedoring groups. Sims recently discussed the issue with DP World Australia CEO Paul Scurrah, who supports giving the ACCC a greater role in regulating ports but does not believe that full regulation is necessary

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, DP WORLD AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PORT OF MELBOURNE, INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL SERVICES INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LOGISTICS COUNCIL, VICTORIA. ESSENTIAL SERVICES COMMISSION

Craft beer gives big brewers competition

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Original article by Julie-Anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 17-Feb-15

Australians’ enthusiasm for craft beer continues to grow. Big breweries, such as Lion and CUB, are trying to retain market share by offering attractive incentives to pubs. Their behaviour is being monitored by the Australia Competition & Consumer Commission. Great Northern Hotel owner Alistair Carragher prefers not to be restricted in his choice of beers. He believes that craft beers offer a point of difference for his business

CORPORATES
FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED, CARLTON UNITED BREWERS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, COOPERS BREWERY LIMITED, SABMILLER PLC, LION PTY LTD, KIRIN HOLDINGS COMPANY LIMITED

TPG must pay for the right to compete

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Original article by Joanna Heath, David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 21-Jan-15

Australian Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says rivals to the national broadband network will have to help fund the building of the infrastructure in remote areas via a levy. The charge is intended to prevent private telcos from undercutting operator NBN Co in lucrative urban markets. Turnbull says the project has proceeded well in the last year but remains risky. Meanwhile he should soon have a response to the regulatory reform requested by Australia Post in order to provide two types of letter delivery service

CORPORATES
TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA POST, NBN CO LIMITED

Wholesalers defend fuel pricing strategies

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 8-Jan-15

The Australian Government has ordered a review of Australia’s fuel pricing system. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will monitor oil companies for three years. Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt said on 7 January 2015 that the pricing system works well. It is transparent and fast enough to ensure that savings resulting from lower oil prices are promptly passed on to retailers and motorists, he argued

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, VIVA ENERGY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM LIMITED, EXXONMOBIL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF VICTORIA (RACV) LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY