The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose the acquisition of global pharmaceutical giant Bayer’s animal health business by competitor Elanco, after the company agreed to divest certain brands to allay competition concerns.
The ACCC is challenging a ruling that dismissed the watchdog’s claim that property investment company Quantum Housing Group engaged in unconscionable conduct in misleading investors in the National Rental Affordability Scheme, saying the legal test for finding unconsionability under the consumer law needed clarifying.
Personal care giant Procter & Gamble has filed a lawsuit alleging competitor Colgate-Palmolive has violated the consumer law by falsely claiming that its whitening toothpaste can remove 10 years of stains.
Freedom Furniture has paid penalties of $25,200 after being hit with two infringement notices by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for allegedly misleading customers about their consumer guarantee rights.
National delivery company Megasave Couriers and its sole director have been taken to court by the consumer watchdog, which alleges franchisees were duped into purchasing a franchise outlet by false promises of guaranteed minimum weekly payments and annual income.
A judge has scolded the law firms behind competing shareholder class actions against Boral for delaying progress of the proceedings, but may wait until the High Court’s ruling on the AMP class action beauty parade before deciding which of three potential class actions should move forward.
Drug maker Janssen has fired off a lawsuit against Juno Pharmaceuticals for allegedly threatening to infringe a patent for its HIV drug Prezista with a generic version of the drug, one year after fending off generic competition from a different drug maker.
Bookmaker Sportsbetting.com.au has accused rival Sportsbet of “groundless threats” as it hits back with a cross claim in a hotly disputed trade mark lawsuit between the two companies.
The competition regulator wants the High Court to hear its challenge to Pacific National’s $205 million acquisition of Aurizon’s Acacia Ridge Terminal in Queensland, saying the deal would entrench the rail freight carrier’s near monopoly on the east coast of Australia.
Google has reached agreements with publishers in three countries to pay for news, as the ACCC works out the details of a mandatory code under which the search giant and Facebook would be forced to pay publishers for news.