Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Egg Corporation Limited [2016] FCA 447

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Egg Corporation Limited [2016] FCA 447 File number: SAD 121 of 2014

Judge: WHITE J

Date of judgment: 29 April 2016

Catchwords: Competition – civil penalty proceeding – admitted contravention of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) – whether appropriate for court to act on admission – attempt to induce cartel conduct – agreed penalty COSTS – application for reduction of successful party's costs due to late admission – exercise of discretion – relevant factors – whether late admission unreasonable – whether successful party which unreasonably raised issues may be deprived of costs COSTS – application for indemnity costs following Calderbank offer – exercise of discretion – relevant factors – special considerations for role of regulator – reasonable prospect of success

Legislation: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) ss 44ZZRD, 44ZZRJ, 155 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 191(2) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 37M, 37N, 43 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 20.25, 22.07, 24

Cases cited: Alister v The Queen (1983) 154 CLR 404 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Amcor Printing Papers Group Ltd [2000] FCA 163 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Egg Corporation Limited [2016] FCA 69 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (No 3) [2002] FCA 1294 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Baxter Healthcare Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 860 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 794; (2007) 160 FCR 321 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 1844 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Real Estate Institute of Western Australia Inc (1999) 161 ALR 79 Australian Securities Commission v Aust-Home Investments Ltd [1993] FCA 585; (1993) 44 FCR 194 Bertie v Police (No 2) [2014] SASC 188 BHP Billiton Ltd v Parker [2012] SASCFC 73; (2012) 113 SASR 206 Colgate-Palmolive Co v Cussons Pty Ltd (1993) 46 FCR 225 Commonwealth of Australia v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2015] HCA 46 Cummings v Lewis (1993) 41 FCR 559 Cretazzo v Lombardi (1975) 13 SASR 4 Damberg v Damberg [2001] NSWCA 87; (2001) 52 NSWRL 492 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2002] HCA 49; (2002) 213 CLR 543 Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2015] FCAFC 59 Firebird Global Master Fund II Ltd v Republic of Nauru (No 2) [2015] HCA 53; (2015) 327 ALR 192 James v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1986) 64 ALR 347 J-Corp Pty Ltd v Australian Builders Labourers Federated Union of Workers (Western Australian Branch) (No 2) (1992) 38 FCR 458 Meissner v The Queen [1995] HCA 41; (1995) 184 CLR 132 Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources v Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd [2004] ATPR 41-993 NW Frozen Foods Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (1996) 71 FCR 285 O'Keefe v Hayes Knight GTO Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 1559 R v Mohan [1976] 1 QB 1 Re Elgindata Ltd (No 2) [1993] 1 All ER 232 Re: Wilcox; Ex parte Venture Industries Pty Ltd (No 2) [1996] FCA 1132; (1996) 72 FCR 151 Rich v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2004] HCA 42; (2004) 220 CLR 129 SPI PowerNet Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (No 2) [2014] FCA 356 Thalari v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 170; (2009) 75 NSWLR 307 Trade Practices Commission v Allied Mills Industries Pty Ltd (No 4) (1981) 37 ALR 256 Trade Practices Commission v George Weston Foods Ltd (No 2) (1980) 43 FLR 55 Trade Practices Commission v Mobil Oil Australia Ltd (1984) 3 FCR 168 Trade Practices Commission v Tubemakers of Australia (1983) 47 ALR 719 Van Hemmen v State of Queensland [2007] FCA 1185