ACCC

Three banks have been committed to stand trial after pleading not guilty to criminal charges stemming from an alleged cartel agreement reached in a $2.5 billion ANZ share placement, with the closely watched case now moving to the Federal Court two-and-a-half years after it was filed.

The ACCC has reached the end of the line in its challenge to Pacific National's $205 million acquisition of Aurizon's Acacia Ridge Terminal in Queensland, with the High Court dismissing the competition regulator's application to take up the appeal.

Apple wants to stay a competition lawsuit brought by video game developer Epic Games in Australia, claiming a clause in its developer contract requires any dispute between them to be heard in a California court.

Online retailer Kogan has been hit with a $350,000 penalty for misleading customers during its 2018 TAXTIME promotion by offering discounts on products whose prices had been inflated, far short of the $2 million penalty sought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The ACCC has taken legal action against the CFMEU and national builder J Hutchinson for allegedly boycotting an independent subcontractor at a construction site in Brisbane.

Car giant Toyota, which is facing a class action over allegedly faulty diesel particulate filters in some of its vehicles, has agreed to step up its compliance with consumer laws, including how it communicates with car owners about mechanical issues.

Pharmaceutical ingredients company Alkaloids of Australia and former export manager Christopher Joyce have been charged over a cartel following a price-fixing investigation by the ACCC linked to the active ingredient in stomach cramp drug Buscopan.

Google is seeking to assuage ACCC concerns that its planned $3 billion acquisition of fitness device company Fitbit would further entrench its market power by giving it access to a treasure trove of user data, promising the regulator that it will not use data collected through wearables for advertising purposes for at least 10 years.

Logistics services provider Qube has resolved a lawsuit that accused the Port of Newcastle of misusing its power in the market for port services by denying Qube's request to use its own equipment to provide dry bulk unloading services at the port.

Telstra is facing the second highest penalty ever imposed under consumer law for signing up Indigenous customers to post-paid mobile plans, with the ACCC alleging the telco exploited social and cultural vulnerabilities and caused "severe" financial hardship and distress, with one customer scared they would be incarcerated for not paying up.