The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has authorised the Lottery Agents’ Association of Tasmania (LAAT) and its current and future members to collectively bargain with Tatts Group and Intralot Australia Pty Ltd for five years.
“Lottery products, including ‘scratchies’ lotteries and lotto, are often an important part of a newsagent’s business. The LAAT’s collective bargaining arrangements will help to improve the input of members into the terms on which Tatts Group and Intralot supply these products to them,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
The arrangements are also likely to generate transaction cost savings.
There are approximately 94 lottery agents in Tasmania. The ACCC notes that the majority of agents are newsagents and all are small businesses.
The ACCC has previously authorised similar collective bargaining arrangements for lottery agents including newsagents, in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Queensland.
Authorisation provides statutory protection from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.