❓ Mr. McRae asks about support for amending the Trade Practices Act to include criminal sanctions for hard-core collusion. Mr. Kobelke responds, highlighting state efforts to advocate for stricter penalties and public support for jailing directors involved in anticompetitive practices.
AnsweredQoN 277Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COMMONWEALTH TRADE PRACTICES ACT, CRIMINAL SANCTIONS 277. Mr A.D. McRAE to the Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection: Is the minister aware of any support for the Gallop Government’s proposition that the commonwealth Trade Practices Act should be amended to include criminal sanctions for people involved in cases of hard core collusion? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
COMMONWEALTH TRADE PRACTICES ACT, CRIMINAL SANCTIONS
Is the minister aware of any support for the Gallop Government’s proposition that the commonwealth Trade Practices Act should be amended to include criminal sanctions for people involved in cases of hard core collusion? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
COMMONWEALTH TRADE PRACTICES ACT, CRIMINAL SANCTIONS
Is the minister aware of any support for the Gallop Government’s proposition that the commonwealth Trade Practices Act should be amended to include criminal sanctions for people involved in cases of hard core collusion? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
The Gallop Government has taken up with the federal Government the need to provide tighter provisions within the Trade Practices Act. Sir Daryl Dawson is currently undertaking a review. It has led state and federal ministers to discuss matters concerning the Trade Practices Act and what penalties should apply. At the last conference of consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide in August, I was able to persuade the conference to recommend looking at criminal sanctions when companies are involved in serious price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Although the Commonwealth is not keen on that, we have tried to impress upon it - Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr D.F. Barron-Sullivan: You have not even been able to do anything about the oil companies! Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The member asked an absolutely ridiculous question of the Minister for Education. I would have thought that he was so embarrassed after that that he would not want to interject again. I will not delay the House by pointing out how unreliable and without fact are the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements almost every time he gets to his feet! The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
The Commonwealth is very slow in recognising the need to provide protection for consumers and small companies, who often find that large companies can take advantage of them through various forms of price-fixing and anticompetitive agreements. Details of a Morgan Gallup poll released in September show that 87 per cent of people polled agreed that the Trade Practices Act should provide for the jailing of directors of companies involved in those forms of serious collusion when the intention was to be anticompetitive. The public of Australia supports the Gallop Government in calling on the Howard Liberal Government to stop backing big business and do something to protect consumers and small businesses when large companies are engaged in anticompetitive practices to the detriment of small companies and consumers.
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