The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today released a Statement of Issues on the proposed acquisition of 31 hotels and one takeaway packaged liquor licence in New South Wales by Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group Pty Ltd.

The Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group is 75 per cent owned by Woolworths Limited.
 
The Statement of Issues seeks further information on certain competition issues arising from the ACCC's review to date.

The ACCC invites further submissions from the market in response to the Statement of Issues by 22 March 2012. As a result, the ACCC's final decision will be deferred until 5 April 2012

The Statement of Issues will be available on the public merger register on the ACCC's website, www.accc.gov.au/mergersregister

Submissions can be sent by email to the ACCC at: mergers@accc.gov.au