ACCC institutes proceedings against Shepparton's White Top Taxis, its directors and a driver

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court, Melbourne against White Top Taxis Limited, a taxi network in the country Victorian town of Shepparton.

The ACCC has also instituted proceedings against the company's directors Mr Rex Powell, Mr Allan Bemrose and Mr Anthony Mason, and a taxi driver from the network, Mr Geoffrey Groves.

The ACCC is alleging the three directors and Mr Groves made and gave effect to a series of anti-competitive rostering arrangements in contravention of section 45(2) of the Competition Code of Victoria* and sought to induce other taxi drivers and operators to abide by the rostering arrangements.
 
The ACCC is seeking:

• declarations
• injunctions
• a trade practices compliance program
• pecuniary penalties, and
• costs.

The matter is returnable on 22 September 2008 in the Federal Court, Melbourne on the Fast Track List at 2:00 p.m. for a scheduling conference.

Background

*The Competition Code of Victoria is a Victorian law, which forms a part of a single National Competition Policy that applies across Australia.

Under the Trade Practices Act 1974, the ACCC is often restricted to instituting proceedings against corporations for anti-competitive conduct. Under the Code, the ACCC can institute proceedings for such conduct directly against individuals.