Court Dismisses Allegations Of Electrical Cartel
The Federal Court has dismissed allegations brought to them by the ACCC against electrical cable manufacturers and wholesalers, and their executives for cartel conduct.
Justice Beach dismissed the proceedings and awarded costs in favour of the accused firms.
The ACCC alleged that in 2011 at a meeting of the Electrical Wholesalers Association of Australia, the respondents made and gave effect to an arrangement which had the purpose of fixing prices, preventing, restricting or limiting the supply and acquisition of electrical cable, and allocating customers.
The companies named in the allegations included two of Australia’s largest electrical cable manufacturers, Olex and Prysmian.
“The ACCC is carefully considering this judgment,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said, though he insists “pursuing cartel conduct, which is so detrimental to the competitive process, will always be an enforcement priority for the ACCC.”
At the time of writing, the reasoning for Justice Beach’s decision is unknown but ChannelNews have reached out to the relevant parties and will update this story when we know more.