Competition and consumer law

Price control amendments: more or less control?
A rewrite of New Zealand's price control laws has hit the halls of Parliament. The Commerce Amendment Bill, introduced to the House on 13 March, is the culmination of an 18-month review and consultation process and is described by Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel as "a back-to-basics rewrite" of the country's price control provisions drawing on "best-practice regulation in other OECD countries". In this article, senior associate David Blacktop comments on the key aspects of the bill and considers whether its objectives are likely to be met in practice.

Customer discounts: surely always a good thing?
The answer to that question is "yes...most of the time" says senior associate Torrin Crowther in this article on the competition issues surrounding straight and bundled discounts to customers.

Pharmaceutical regulatory law in New Zealand
Bell Gully has authored the New Zealand chapter in a publication which looks at antitrust laws and regulations in the pharmaceutical industry across 29 jurisdictions worldwide.

Searches by the Commerce Commission
Bell Gully has produced a guide outlining the steps a business can take to ensure searches by the Commerce Commission are carried out appropriately.

Enquiries and information

For more information on any of the cases, articles and features in Commercial Quarterly, please email Diane Graham or call her on 64 9 916 8849.