The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has brought proceedings against publicly-traded BlueScope Steel and a former general manager for allegedly engaging in “serious cartel conduct” in relation to the supply of flat steel products in Australia.
One month after Japanese shipping company K-Line was hit with a $34.5 million fine for cartel conduct, Norwegian shipping firm Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS has said it will plead guilty to one charge of criminal cartel conduct for its role in the same scheme.
Biotech company Cryosite has agreed to a $1 million settlement for losses resulting from legal advice received in relation to a merger agreement that left the company facing $1.05 million in penalties for engaging in cartel conduct.
Allianz Australia will refund over $8 million in fees and premiums to customers who were sold worthless cover they were not eligible to make claims under, including teenagers who were sold death cover.
Facebook and Instagram have denied allegations they breached Australia’s competition law when they terminated the accounts of a Melbourne-based startup, saying they were entitled to block the company from their platforms.
Norway-based shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS has become the third international shipper to be charged with price fixing in Australia, just three weeks after Japan’s K-Line was hit with a record $34.5 million fine over the same alleged cartel.
Arguing the pleadings are “evasive or ambiguous”, Domino’s Pizza has made a bid to strike out the statement of claim filed in a class action alleging franchisees underpaid thousands of workers across Australia for five years.
A class action against National Australia Bank over allegedly worthless consumer credit insurance could be referred to the Full Federal Court just three months out from trial, amid concerns that the class action was not validly commenced.
The applicants in the Radio Rentals “Rent, Try $1 Buy” class action have flagged the potential for prejudice caused by the respondents’ late evidence, with concerns about their capacity to be ready by the looming trial date if ongoing settlement negotiations hit a dead-end.
The ACCC won’t stand in the way of rural supply giant Landmark’s proposed $469 million takeover of competitor Ruralco, with the competition regulator saying the importance of customer relationships would leave room for independent retailers to compete.