The Federal Court has found that property developer Anglo Estate Pty Ltd attempted to enter into price fixing and other anti-competitive arrangements with the Shire of Esperance over sale of land in the shire.
The court also found Anglo Estates directors, Ken and Ross Williamson, attempted to induce the shire to enter into a price-fixing arrangement in contravention of the Trade Practices Act.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleged that: Anglo Estate tried to reach an arrangement where the shire would not sell vacant residential lots in its Flinders Estate development for less than $80,000; and that Anglo estates attempted to reach an arrangement in which the shire would not develop and sell until the end of 2010 some vacant residential lots in the same development.
ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said consumers in any part of Australia were entitled to expect that land prices were determined by a fair market and not by anti-competitive conduct.
Anglo Estates was ordered to pay pecuniary penalties of $15,000 and Mr Williamson a pecuniary penalty of $5,000.
The ACCC did not allege
that the Shire of Esperance had contravened the Trade Practices Act.