Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 794

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 794

TRADE PRACTICES – price-fixing – arrangements or understandings – whether existed between competitors within the Geelong retail petrol market – whether contained provisions for the fixing of retail petrol prices – whether necessary for parties to have commitment or moral obligation – applicant pleaded existence of seven bipartite and one tripartite interlocking arrangements or understandings and that effect was given to them on a number of occasions within a two-year period – relied on oral evidence of some alleged parties to them, circumstantial evidence in the form of data as to times of telephone communications between parties to alleged arrangements or understandings and changes in retail price of petrol, as well as admissions by some alleged parties to arrangements or understandings – whether evidence established existence, and giving effect to, of arrangements or understandings – whether evidence of origins of alleged arrangements or understandings sufficient – whether oral evidence and circumstantial evidence inconsistent – oral evidence not specific as to any particular occasion – circumstantial evidence often inconsistent with oral evidence, and with applicant's allegations – whether judgment should be given on admissions EVIDENCE – admissions – whether appropriate to exercise discretion to pronounce judgment based on admissions – whether reason to question correctness of facts admitted or agreed – whether previous representations made in furtherance of common purpose – whether reasonably open to find that representations were made in furtherance of common purpose – existence of common purpose established by evidence other than previous representation itself WORDS AND PHRASES – "contract", "arrangement", "understanding", "make an arrangement", "arrive at an understanding", "provision"