Stott Despoja: Pollies lie because we let themBusinesses are forbidden from engaging in misleading or deceitful contact by the Trade Practices Act. Why don’t politicians have to abide by the same rules? asks Natasha Stott Despoja.
Trade Practices Act
Vioxx case: Merck legal team ‘successfull’ despite $287k compo payout
The Australian court case on Vioxx, pitched as a landmark judgement against its makers Merck, flashed past in a blur, writes Paul Smith.
Midwives damn AMA-induced amendments to maternity reform
Rather than listening to medical advice on the long-awaited maternity reforms, the government pays attention to a union more focused on protecting incomes than helping prospective mothers, writes Professor Lesley Barclay and Professor Sally Tracy.
Telstra split paves way for better competition
The government’s plan for Telstra appears to require a form of divestiture, says Andrew Bartlett. It would be great to have better laws — forcing asset sales — wherever anti-competitive behaviour exists.
Oops Tiger to face scrutiny for “free” tickets?
Singapore owned Tiger Airways could get skinned by the ACCC over its sale of 30,000 FREE tickets last month.
Today Tonight indicted in get-rich-quick deal
Today Tonight has been found guilty of breaching the Trade Practices Act for making deceptive claims about an investment mentoring program called Wildly Wealthy Women.
Dodgy market research: when phone surveys turn into the hard sell
Don’t be fooled: not everything that’s a “survey” is research. Depressingly often, it’s what the market research industry calls “sugging” (a loose acronym for “selling under the guise of research”), fugging (“fundraising…”) or dugging (“databasing…”), writes Stephen Downes.
Media briefs and TV ratings
Seven launches C7 appeal … Free publicity threatens to bring down Chaser website … Nine improves but Seven wins another week … Last night’s TV ratings.
Crikey Says: Crikey Says
Today Richard Pratt, Companion of the Order of Australia, was the subject of deliberations in the Federal Court this morning that ended in a $36 million fine for admitted breaches of the Trade Practices Act. Which hardly seems becoming for a man who signs himself AC.
Pratt’s memo: Now we understand the Trade Practices Act
Richard Pratt sent a memorandum to all Visy employees yesterday, explaining the settlement reached with the ACCC.
