Ethical Clothing Australia’s Homeworkers Code of Practice, which helps reduce the exploitation of textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) workers in Australia, has been reauthorised by the ACCC for a further ten years.
The Code imposes obligations on participants in the supply chain to demonstrate that they provide award wages and conditions to textile, clothing and footwear workers.
The ACCC has agreed to variations proposed by Australian Amalgamated Terminals Pty Ltd (AAT) and Qube Holdings Limited (Qube, ASX: QUB) to their 2016 undertaking to the ACCC.
The ACCC agreed, for a limited three-year period, to remove the open access conditions for AAT’s Appleton Dock general cargo facility at the Port of Melbourne, in relation to arrangements between AAT and shipping lines when AAT contracts directly with those shipping lines.
The ACCC is granting authorisation to Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) to continue its Tyre Stewardship Scheme, which is designed to increase the recycling of tyres and use of products made from recycled tyres.
Tyre Stewardship Australia sought authorisation of specific provisions of the guidelines that govern the operation of the Tyre Stewardship Scheme. Broadly, those provisions impose obligations on participants to commit to the environmentally sound use of used tyres and to only deal with accredited businesses along the tyre supply chain.
The ACCC has authorised health insurer HCF and participating dentists to agree on a maximum price for some dental services provided to HCF members.
HCF intends to open its own dental clinics in locations where it already runs its “More For Teeth” program.
Under the More For Teeth program, participating dentists cap fees for HCF members for a limited number of basic preventative and diagnostic dental services, enabling HCF to offer “no gap” arrangements at participating dentists.
The ACCC has granted authorisation for an agreement between the Port of Brisbane and cruise operator Carnival to develop a new $158 million cruise terminal in Brisbane, subject to two conditions.
Under the agreement, Carnival will pay a fixed annual amount to the Port for 15 years in return for preferential berthing rights at the new terminal. These include 100 "Foundation Berthing Days" a year, giving Carnival first pick of 100 days at the terminal each year, up to a maximum of four days a week.
The ACCC is proposing to grant authorisation for Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) to continue its revised Tyre Stewardship Scheme for a further six years.
The scheme aims to increase both the recycling of tyres and the use of products made from recycled tyres in Australia.
Since 2013, when the ACCC first authorised the scheme, TSA has collected a levy from participating tyre importers and directed $2 million of funds from the levy into market research for the development of new products made from recycled tyres.
The ACCC has authorised joint marketing arrangements for gas between Central Petroleum (ASX: CTP) and Macquarie Mereenie, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited (ASX: MQG), for three years.
The two companies are authorised to market gas produced from the Mereenie field under contracts with common terms and conditions, including price.
The ACCC is granting re-authorisation to an alliance between Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Emirates for a further five years, subject to a condition.
The global alliance covers Qantas and Emirates’ air passenger and cargo transport operations. The terms of the authorisation granted are largely unchanged from last month’s draft decision.
The ACCC has authorised Independent Cinemas Australia (ICA), and its current and future independent cinema members, to share information and collectively bargain with film distributors on the terms and conditions of film licensing agreements.
“Authorisation is likely to benefit the public as it should reduce negotiation costs for independent cinemas and distributors who participate,” ACCC Commissioner Roger Featherston said.