News Articles for Rod Sims

A mandatory code of conduct for commercial leases is expected to be finalised by next week, as federal and state governments continue to work towards a mutually-beneficial solution for landlords and tenants affected by COVID-19.

Australia's four major airports achieved record profit in the past financial year, according to the ACCC, with Perth Airport touting its high passenger satisfaction relative to its counterparts on the east coast.

A $15 billion merger between Vodafone Australia and TPG Telecom has been given the green light in the federal court, but the consumer watchdog says it will cause mobile data prices to rise.

Australia's consumer watchdog has raised concerns over the proposed acquisition of mortgage aggregator Connective by Perth-based Australian Finance Group, as the merged group will have nearly 40 per cent market share.

There are concerns the share market's strength doesn't accurately reflect the nation's economic performance, or outlook.

The Federal Court has ordered Optus to pay $6.4 million in penalties for falsely telling customers of rival broadband services their home internet would soon be disconnected.

The National Broadband Network has copped an official warning from the competition watchdog after the taxpayer-funded wholesaler allowed one telco to see sensitive pricing information months before its rivals.

A training institute that had operations in Western Australia has been slapped with a record $26.5 million penalty and must repay $56 million to the federal government over "callous" student recruitment tactics.

Qantas has reaffirmed its desire to gain control of Alliance Aviation Services despite the competition watchdog today expressing concern about the two airlines coming together.

AP Eagers has acquired a provisional majority stake in Automotive Holdings Group, just a week after AHG told shareholders not to accept the offer until it released its target statement on May 8.

The consumer watchdog is calling for an overhaul of Australia's product safety laws to help reduce the two deaths and 145 injuries it says are caused each day by unsafe products.

Perth Airport has received the highest overall quality of service rating among Australia's major airports, with passengers enjoying their experience and airlines rating it the best in the country.

Optus has been ordered to pay a $10 million fine, one of the highest penalties to be imposed by the Federal Court, for misleading its customers over digital content.

The competition watchdog has cleared Santos' planned $2.9 billion takeover of Quadrant Energy despite concerns from some businesses in the Goldfields region about reduced competition for gas supplies.

The competition watchdog will allow Fairfax Media's $4 billion merger with Nine Entertainment to go ahead after deciding the move would not diminish competition in Australian news and media.

The National Broadband Network is significantly outperforming ADSL services, according to a new report released by the consumer watchdog.

The consumer watchdog says 5G mobile technology could become a substitute for the National Broadband Network, on the same day NBN Co launched its new business-grade product.

Telstra has refunded a total $9.3 million to more than 70,000 customers it billed without their knowledge or consent following action by the consumer watchdog.

The competition watchdog has approved a Hong Kong consortium's $13 billion takeover bid for APA Group, Australia's biggest gas pipeline company, on the proviso that four major assets in Western Australia are sold to new owners.

ANZ is facing criminal charges over alleged cartel conduct related to a $2.5 billion share placement, while two of the underwriters to the deal, Citi and Deutsche Bank, also received notice of charges.

Optus will pay $1.5 million in penalties for pressuring customers to move to the National Broadband Network sooner than required and misleading some of them about NBN service options.

More Australian homes and businesses are connecting to higher-speed services on the National Broadband Network, while NBN said today it had more than doubled revenue in the first nine months of the financial year.

Perth Airport has received the highest rating of Australia's four biggest airports and registered a spike in profits during the past financial year, according to a report from the consumer watchdog.

Telstra is being taken to court by the consumer watchdog, and is facing fines of up to $10 million and user refunds of $5 million after the telco allegedly charged its own customers unawares through a third-party billing service.

The corporate watchdog has today released a report outlining changes made by the big four banks to small business loans to remove unfair terms, while the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has flagged concerns with the major banks' mortgage pricing strategies.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissionhas asked operators of six liquefied natural gas facilities in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to publicly disclose maintenance schedule information they share with each other.

The consumer watchdog plans to oppose the proposed takeover of Woolworths service stations by BP Australia, saying the deal would substantially lessen competition.

Optus will compensate almost 9,000 customers after failing to provide them with the fast national broadband network speeds it promised.

Aveling Homes has been ordered by the federal court to pay $380,000 in response to the competition watchdog's claims that it had manipulated review websites.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has highlighted mining industry concerns regarding grinding media company Moly-Cop's proposed acquisition of competitor Donhad in its statement of issues.

The competition watchdog has delayed its decision on BP's $1.8 billion acquisition of more than 500 service stations owned by Woolworths.

The Ten Network Holdings' billionaire shareholders Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon have been given the all-clear by the competition watchdog to make a joint takeover bid for the troubled free-to-air broadcaster.

Motorists could end up paying more for fuel if BP's proposed $1.8 billion takeover of Woolworths petrol stations goes ahead, the competition watchdog warns.

The proposed $11 billion merger between wagering giant Tabcorp and lotteries and wagering firm Tatts Group is set for more scrutiny - this time by the Federal Court.

Caltex has shored up its post-Woolworths future with the competition watchdog approving its takeover of Victorian fuel retailer Milemaker Petroleum.

The head of the consumer watchdog says some large companies are deliberately trying to deceive customers and that the effects are widespread.

The competition watchdog has rejected a proposal by insurers to cap commissions paid to car dealers selling their add-on policies.

The Barnett government has seized on comments by Australia's competition chief Rod Sims that plans to privatise Western Australia's poles and wires utility, Western Power, would lead to lower prices, while Labor leader Mark McGowan has claimed a re-elected Liberal government would also sell Water Corporation.

The competition watchdog has raised concerns over South32's proposed $US200 million acquisition of Peabody Energy Corporation's Metropolitan Colliery in NSW, on the grounds that it may lessen competition in the region.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has written to the local branches of two trade unions, saying they misrepresented his views on the float of Western Power in a recent advertisement campaign.