ACCC

The ACCC has taken legal action against women's activewear company Lorna Jane for allegedly representing to consumers during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in Australia that its anti-virus activewear would protect them from viruses, including COVID-19.

A judge has found a NSW training company is liable to pay $139 million for over 12,000 students who racked up VET FEE-HELP debts but failed to complete their courses due to an "unconscionable" enrolment system.

The consumer watchdog has launched enforcement action against Facebook, alleging the social media giant engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct in the promotion of its discontinued Onavo Protect mobile app.

Former BlueScope general manager of sales and marketing Jason Ellis has been sentenced to a wholly suspended prison term of eight months after pleading guilty to obstructing a price fixing investigation.

The ACCC has raised preliminary competition concerns about Woolworths proposed 65 per cent acquisition of food wholesale distributor PFD Food Services, saying the deal would give Woolworths more power in its dealings with food manufacturers.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken franchise giant Retail Food Group to court for allegedly misleading purchasers of loss-making franchises about the profitability or viability of its stores.

The Federal Court judge who is now overseeing a high stakes criminal cartel case against several investment banks and individuals over a $2.5 billion ANZ share placement has ordered that an indictment be filed by February 1, telling the parties "we have to get this case moving" and that he hoped to move the matter to trial "before we all retire".

The NSW government cannot assert public immunity over cabinet documents sought in a case brought by the ACCC over an allegedly anti-competitive agreement for the privatisation of Port Botany and Port Kembla.

The Federal government will introduce legislation on Wednesday that will require Google and Facebook to pay news publishers to exploit their content and give them a heads up of major changes to search algorithms.

Crown prosecutors are arguing a former BlueScope executive who has pleaded guilty to obstructing an ACCC price fixing investigation should face jail time for the "objectively serious" conduct.