The Competitive Edge

Productivity Commission Chair  Danielle Wood joins Partner Jeremy Jose to discuss the evolving role of the Commission, the Competition Taskforce, the progress and prospects of the new Competition Policy Review, and the importance of basing Australian policy on Australian evidence and data. Plus regulatory grids and antitrust raps at G+T's inaugural Financial Services Forum, a googol roubles trouble Google, rectangular wheat biscuit products and the ACCC's enduring priority of breakfast, and parliament juggles merger laws and divestiture bills. All this and four more years, apparently, with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.

• G+T on the inaugural Financial Services Forum 
• Our new financial services-themed cryptic crossword 
• ABC on Google's amusingly massive Russian fines 
• ACCC on Weet-Bix maker Sanitarium's acquisition of Vita Brits 
• Extended mix of Bob Hoskins and the menacing Weetabix kids 
• Track the merger review bill and the latest divestiture bill   
• What is the Federation Chamber? 
• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team 
• Email us at [email protected]  

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Deputy Assistant Attorney-General John W. Elias lays out the mission and culture of the Antitrust Division at the US Department of Justice, covering diversity in competition law, the new geometries of the US merger guidelines, and the recent AI workshop at Stanford. Plus vague promises and unfair trading practices; a hat-trick of competition and labour law complaints against FIFA; the ACCC's new merger surveillance team; and what the US election might mean for antitrust enforcement. All this and a bunch of goo with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.

• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team
• Email us at [email protected]

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Partner Geoff Petersen explores the new role for governments in the energy transition, taking the lead on targets and infrastructure and making sure consumers aren't left behind. But what's left for market mechanisms and national regulation? Plus the recalibrated merger reform bill hits Parliament with something for everyone in the notification thresholds; more supermarket scrutiny here and around the world; greenwashing in fashion and finance; big penalties for those Qantas ghost flights and a speeding ticket for Honda under the right-to-repair scheme. All this and plenty of disfluencies with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.  

• Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, "Together in Electric Dreams" 
• Breakin'/Breakdance 2: Electric Boogaloo trailer 
• G+T on the new merger reform bill and updated notification thresholds  
• The ACCC's Grocery Inquiry 2008 and Supermarkets Inquiry 2024: was/now 
• The Prime Minister on shrinkflation 
• NZ Commerce Commission declines to clear the Foodstuffs merger 
• The Warehouse, where everyone gets a bargain 
• G+T's regular wrap-up on consumer law enforcement, Shop Talk 
• G+T on ASIC's hat-trick in greenwashing cases 
• The CMA's tailored guidance on greenwashing for fashion brands 
• ACCC v Qantas and inflight meals at home 
• The Motor Vehicle Information Scheme and Honda and Panasonic in the first Fast and Furious heist 
• Make your own podcast with Google's NotebookLM 
• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team 
• Email us at [email protected]  

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Partner Louise Klamka takes us down the catwalk where fashion meets competition law. Is the Birkin bag in a market of its own? Is "accessible luxury" a contradiction in terms or a reason to keep Tapestry away from Capri? And how does this relate to industrial relations and ESG-washing? Plus supermarket discounts and the new Food and Grocery Code; new directions for competition law in the European Commission and the Courts; and the Australian Competition Tribunal gets ready for its new role in the merger review framework. All this and More Songs about Buildings and Food with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. 

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New ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams AM trades a long history in economics in the private sector and academia for a crucial role with the competition regulator. He joins partner Simon Muys to discuss the history and future of competition law and economics, from misuse of market power to the structure–conduct–performance paradigm. Plus we examine the proposed merger notification thresholds; Disney's in court for unfair contract terms and a sports joint venture; the new anti-siphoning list gets a workout; the CMA investigates Ticketmaster over Oasis tickets; and the long awaited amendments to the Privacy Act finally land. All this and dynamic pricing with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.    

• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team 
• Email us at [email protected]  
• NPR on Trading Places and the Eddie Murphy rule 
• G+T on the draft notification thresholds and their place in the new merger framework 
• More about motorway interchange design than you probably need to know 
• The Conversation on Disney's arbitration clause 
• Judge Margaret M. Garnett issues a preliminary injunction against the Venu sports streaming joint venture 
• The BBC on Oasis and Ticketmaster and Choice on dynamic pricing   
• G+T on the first tranche of amendments to the Privacy Act 
• The Bundeskartellamt on applying the Remondis clause to Remondis 
• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team 
• Email us at [email protected]  

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Partner Tanya Macdonald on how industry associations and their members can promote industry, consumer and public interest goals while staying on the right side of the law. Plus Apple loosens up on contactless payments, with a few complications; the ACCC gets creative with Google search defaults; a 3-to-2 merger in credit reporting sails through; and the High Court gears up to untangle contracts, arrangements and understandings. All this and main characters of few words with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.

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NZCC Chief Economist and former DoJ Counsel Douglas Rathbun speaks to Special Counsel Haidee Leung about why New Zealand is the best place in the world to think about the future of competition policy, regulation of nascent technologies like generative AI, how the Commerce Commission is adapting to new challenges and, controversially, who really invented the flat white.  Plus the US v Google judgment and what it means for search and beyond; submissions to the Treasury consultation on unfair trading practices and unfair contract terms in ASIC v PayPal; and the Digital Platform Services Inquiry rounds the final corner and hits the nitrous.  All this and chapeaus, chaussures and chaussettes with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein . 

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The Government has released a hundred pages of draft amendments to the merger review framework, and partners Elizabeth Avery and Simon Muys talk us through the devil in all that detail. What does the new process mean for procedural fairness? How does the new test affect the whole of the competition law? Is this faster or a disaster, stronger or just longer, simpler or whatever rhymes with simpler?  All this and what comes next with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. 

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Technology + Digital Partner Melissa Fai takes us through the seismic changes to the Privacy Act now expected in August, with new protections for individuals, obligations on business and powers for the regulator to match the massive increase in maximum penalties we saw in 2022. Plus more yellow cards for FIFA and other sports administrators in the courts; the backlog in submissions for Treasury competition and consumer consultations; antitrust trolling from the US congress; and federal relations return to the Competition Policy Review with the crafting of bright lines. All this and Matt Damon with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. 
 

• Kynan Eng on the fictional cost of rescuing Matt Damon  
• FIFPRO Europe's statement on the case against FIFA and the Club World Cup 2025 
• L Edward Martin IV in the Houston Law Review on baseball's antitrust exemption 
• Submissions to Treasury on merger reform and unfair trading practices (pending) 
• The House Judiciary Committee Interim Staff Report on Decarbonization Collusion and the minority counter-report on a Bogus Antitrust Theory 
• G+T on ASIC's latest court win in greenwashing and the new climate-related financial disclosure framework 
• The Attorney-General's speech on coming changes to the Privacy Act 
• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team 
• Email us at [email protected]  

Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Avery and G+T Ventures head Xavier Keary investigate the coming collision of venture capital and the new merger proposals as the ACCC draws the line at market power. You can't enter a box junction unless your exit is clear -- is it the same for the startup sector, and what does that mean for economic dynamism? Plus merger reforms and AI were discussed and the Chatham House rule was observed at the Hodgekiss Competition Law Conference; market share thresholds and call in powers under the new merger framework; third parties do a Michelle Heyman around the ACCC’s decision in Brickworks v BGC and legal privilege in expert reports; private misuse of market power actions against Sony and more; and could school apps be a natural monopoly? All this and professional-grade sporting analogies with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein.

• Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team
• Email us at [email protected]

Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.