The ACCC is proposing to accept an application for a certification trademark that signals to potential investors that investments by a fund manager or financial institution are ‘tobacco-free’.
Tobacco Free Portfolios Limited, which maintains a list of businesses involved in the manufacture of tobacco products, has applied to register the Tobacco Free certification trademark.
The ACCC has authorised the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) to negotiate contracts with hospitals and health facilities on behalf of rural doctors.
RDAA will be allowed to negotiate terms and conditions for GPs, locums and other rural doctors, working as Visiting Medical Officers in public hospitals and health facilities.
The approval, granted for 10 years, also applies to doctors who provide after-hours services and other primary health care services.
The ACCC has authorised AgStewardship to continue collecting a levy on the sale of agricultural and veterinary chemicals, to fund programs for the safe disposal and recycling of the containers and unused chemicals.
The levy, imposed on participating manufacturers, was first authorised in 1998 and has now been authorised to continue for a further five years.
“We see considerable public benefit from these collection and recycling programs,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
The ACCC has granted authorisation for arrangements between SA Housing Authority, Renewal SA and land and property developers, which are designed to increase Adelaide’s supply of affordable housing.
This authorisation enables developers to agree to requests from SA Housing Authority or Renewal SA which could otherwise be a breach of competition laws, including agreement to cap prices for some properties, to rent or sell to certain identified tenants or purchasers, or agreement not to compete for the rental or sale of property.
The ACCC has granted authorisation to four Adelaide councils to jointly procure certain waste management services.
The four councils, Adelaide, Charles Sturt, Marion and Port Adelaide Enfield, and a council-owned procurement body called Council Solutions, have been authorised to appoint common providers:
The ACCC is proposing to reject an application for four certification trademarks for certain biodegradable plastics by OxoPak Pty Ltd.
OxoPak is seeking to register the marks as part of its certification scheme for plastic bags and other packaging materials that meet certain specified standards of oxo-biodegradability.
The ACCC has concerns that the marks may give consumers the impression that the plastic product complies with certification standards relating to food safety, marine life safety, environmental sustainability and waste reduction.
The ACCC proposes to grant authorisation to AgStewardship to allow it to continue to collect a levy on the sale of agricultural and veterinary chemicals by participating manufacturers.
The levy funds the drumMUSTER and ChemClear programs for collection and recycling of agvet chemical containers and safe disposal of agvet chemicals.
The ACCC proposes to allow the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) to negotiate contracts with hospitals and health facilities on behalf of rural doctors.
The authorisation will allow RDAA to negotiate terms and conditions for GPs, locums and other rural doctors who work as Visiting Medical Officers in public hospitals and health facilities. It also applies to doctors who provide primary health care services, including after-hours services.