The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a draft determination proposing to reauthorise the Lottery Agents Association of Victoria to collectively bargain on behalf of its members with Victorian lotteries providers for ten years.
The authorisation covers collective negotiations with Tattersall’s Sweeps Pty Ltd (Tatts), Intralot Australia Pty Ltd (Intralot) and any other public lottery provider who may become licensed to operate a public lottery in Victoria during the term of the authorisation.
LAAV has around 600 member lottery agents across Victoria, whose main businesses include lottery kiosks, newsagents, post office/news outlets, tobacconists, pharmacies, supermarkets and general stores.
“Collective negotiation will allow lottery agents to share transaction costs and provide greater input into contracts resulting in more efficient contracts better reflecting lottery agents’ needs,” said ACCC Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Schaper.
LAAV has been authorised to collectively bargain on behalf of its members since 2009. Last month the ACCC also authorised the Victorian Association of Newsagents to collectively bargain with Tatts and Intralot on behalf of its members. The ACCC has also authorised similar collective bargaining arrangements in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Tasmania.
As with these previous authorisations, the ACCC proposes to limit LAAV to collective negotiating over the terms of agreements for its members to supply lottery distribution services. The ACCC is not proposing to authorise LAAV to discuss with Tatts and Intralot the terms on which lottery products are sold by competitors to LAAV members.
Authorisation provides immunity 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 authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.
Further information about the application for authorisation and the granting of interim authorisation is available at www.accc.gov.au/AuthorisationsRegister.
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