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COMPETITION AND CONSUMER ACT 2010 - SECT 151AJ

Anti - competitive conduct

  (1)   This section sets out the 2 circumstances in which:

  (a)   a carrier; or

  (b)   a carriage service provider;

is said to engage in anti - competitive conduct for the purposes of this Part.

  (2)   A carrier or carriage service provider engages in anti - competitive conduct if the carrier or carriage service provider:

  (a)   has a substantial degree of power in a telecommunications market; and

  (b)   either:

  (i)   takes advantage of that power in that or any other market with the effect, or likely effect, of substantially lessening competition in that or any other telecommunications market; or

  (ii)   takes advantage of that power in that or any other market, and engages in other conduct on one or more occasions, with the combined effect, or likely combined effect, of substantially lessening competition in that or any other telecommunications market.

  (2A)   Without limiting the matters to which regard may be had for the purpose of determining whether a carrier or carriage service provider has engaged in anti - competitive conduct as defined in subsection   (2), regard may be had to:

  (a)   any conduct of the carrier or carriage service provider that consisted of supplying goods or services for a sustained period at a price that was less than the relevant cost to the carrier or carriage service provider of supplying such goods or services; and

  (b)   the reasons for that conduct.

  (3)   A carrier or carriage service provider engages in anti - competitive conduct if the carrier or carriage service provider:

  (a)   engages in conduct in contravention of section   45AJ, 45AK, 45, 47 or 48; and

  (b)   the conduct relates to a telecommunications market.

  (4)   For the purposes of the application of subsection   (3) to a carrier, or a carriage service provider, that is not a corporation, in determining whether conduct of the carrier or provider is in contravention of section   45AJ, 45AK, 45, 47 or 48, the following assumptions are to be made:

  (a)   the assumption that each reference to a corporation in:

  (i)   those sections; and

  (ii)   sections   45AL and 45AM;

    included a reference to a carrier, or a carriage service provider, that is not a corporation;

  (b)   the assumption that subsections   45(8) and 47(12) and section   45AN had not been enacted.

  (5)   For the purposes of the application of subsection   (3) to a carrier, or a carriage service provider, that is not a corporation or a partnership, in determining whether conduct of the carrier or provider is in contravention of section   45, 47 or 48, the following assumptions are to be made:

  (a)   the assumption that subparagraphs   45(3)(a)(ii) and (b)(ii) had not been enacted;

  (b)   the assumption that the expression "or a body corporate related to the corporation" were omitted from paragraph   45(4)(b);

  (e)   the assumption that the expression "or from a competitor of a body corporate related to the corporation" were omitted from each of the following provisions:

  (i)   paragraphs 47(2)(d) and (e);

  (ii)   paragraphs 47(3)(d) and (e);

  (iii)   subparagraphs   47(8)(a)(i) and (ii);

  (f)   the assumption that the expression "not being a body corporate related to the corporation" were omitted from subsections   47(6) and (7) and paragraphs 47(8)(c) and 47(9)(d);

  (g)   the assumption that the expression "or from a competitor of a body corporate related to the corporation" were omitted from paragraphs 47(9)(a) and (b);

  (h)   the assumption that the expression ", or by a body corporate related to the corporation," were omitted from paragraph   47(10)(b);

  (i)   the assumption that the expression "or any body corporate related to that corporation" were omitted from subparagraph   47(13)(b)(i);

  (j)   the assumption that the expression "or any body corporate related to either of those corporations" were omitted from paragraph   47(13)(c) and the expression "any body corporate related to the last - mentioned corporation" were substituted;

  (k)   the assumption that the expression "where the second person mentioned in that paragraph is a corporation" were omitted from subsection   96(2).

  (6)   A person may be taken to have engaged in anti - competitive conduct even if the conduct involves the exercise, or proposed exercise, of an existing legal or equitable right (whether under a contract or otherwise).

  (7)   Despite anything in this section, a carrier or carriage service provider does not engage in anti - competitive conduct if that conduct does not constitute a contravention of section   45AJ, 45AK, 45, 47 or 48:

  (a)   because an authorisation is in force; or

  (b)   because of the operation of subsection   45AL(1) or 45(8A) or section   93; or

  (c)   because of the operation of subsection   45(9); or

  (e)   because of the operation of section   45AM.

  (8)   A carrier or carriage service provider does not engage in anti - competitive conduct if that conduct occurred before 1   July 1997.

  (9)   Despite anything in this section, a person does not engage in anti - competitive conduct if, under section   577BA of the Telecommunications Act 1997 , the conduct is authorised for the purposes of subsection   51(1) of this Act.

  (10)   Despite anything in this section, a person does not engage in anti - competitive conduct if, under section   151DA, the conduct is authorised for the purposes of subsection   51(1).


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