Sims addresses LCA Workshop
ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, has delivered his annual address to the Law Council of Australia’s (Competition and Consumer Committee) Workshop in Melbourne.
In it, he highlights current investigations, including the possibility of launching the first case under the new s 46 misuse of market power provision later this year. He also notes increasing challenges to business located outside Australia but which carry on business in Australia (particularly in consumer matters), aided by increasing cooperation within the ICN, OECD and ICPEN.
Sims also notes that deciding which cases to take on, giving finite resources, remains one of the most difficult choices faced by the ACCC.
He then proceeds to consider four issues in depth:
market studies
achieving penalties that will deliver effective deterrence
reassessing the merger regime
unconscionable versus unfair conduct