Higher bar for merger approvals in competition law shake-up

Higher bar for merger approvals in competition law shake-up
ComCom chair John Small at a hearing on Tuesday for Parliament's ‘scrutiny week’. (Image: BusinessDesk)
Pattrick Smellie
Market-leading companies that seek to buy out emerging competitors will face tougher scrutiny from the Commerce Commission if reforms proposed in a newly announced review of competition law become law.Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly announced what he said was the first major review of competition law in 20 years, to be chaired by former Commerce Commission (ComCom) chair Dame Paula Rebstock.“This is a big piece of work,” Bayly said. “We are getting out of step with international trends. We want to be best practice.”Among...

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