Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

COMPETITION AND CONSUMER ACT 2010 - SECT 45E

Situations to which section applies

  (1)   This section applies in the following situations:

  (a)   a supply situation --in this situation, a person (the first person ) has been accustomed, or is under an obligation, to supply goods or services to another person (the second person ); or

  (b)   an acquisition situation --in this situation, a person (the first person ) has been accustomed, or is under an obligation, to acquire goods or services from another person (the second person ).

Despite paragraphs   (a) and (b), this section does not apply unless the first or second person is a corporation or both of them are corporations.

Note :   For the meanings of accustomed to supply and accustomed to acquire , see subsections   (5) and (7).

Prohibition in a supply situation

  (2)   In a supply situation, the first person must not make a contract or arrangement, or arrive at an understanding, with an organisation of employees, an officer of such an organisation or a person acting for and on behalf of such an officer or organisation, if the proposed contract, arrangement or understanding contains a provision included for the purpose, or for purposes including the purpose, of:

  (a)   preventing or hindering the first person from supplying or continuing to supply such goods or services to the second person; or

  (b)   preventing or hindering the first person from supplying or continuing to supply such goods or services to the second person, except subject to a condition:

  (i)   that is not a condition to which the supply of such goods or services by the first person to the second person has previously been subject because of a provision in a contract between those persons; and

  (ii)   that is about the persons to whom, the manner in which or the terms on which the second person may supply any goods or services.

Prohibition in an acquisition situation

  (3)   In an acquisition situation, the first person must not make a contract or arrangement, or arrive at an understanding, with an organisation of employees, an officer of such an organisation or a person acting for and on behalf of such an officer or organisation, if the proposed contract, arrangement or understanding contains a provision included for the purpose, or for purposes including the purpose, of:

  (a)   preventing or hindering the first person from acquiring or continuing to acquire such goods or services from the second person; or

  (b)   preventing or hindering the first person from acquiring or continuing to acquire such goods or services from the second person, except subject to a condition:

  (i)   that is not a condition to which the acquisition of such goods or services by the first person from the second person has previously been subject because of a provision in a contract between those persons; and

  (ii)   that is about the persons to whom, the manner in which or the terms on which the second person may supply any goods or services.

No contravention if second person gives written consent to written contract etc.

  (4)   Subsections   (2) and (3) do not apply to a contract, arrangement or understanding if it is in writing and was made or arrived at with the written consent of the second person.

Meaning of accustomed to supply

  (5)   In this section, a reference to a person who has been accustomed to supply goods or services to a second person includes (subject to subsection   (6)):

  (a)   a regular supplier of such goods or services to the second person; or

  (b)   the latest supplier of such goods or services to the second person; or

  (c)   a person who, at any time during the immediately preceding 3 months, supplied such goods or services to the second person.

Exception to subsection   (5)

  (6)   If:

  (a)   goods or services have been supplied by a person to a second person under a contract between them that required the first person to supply such goods or services over a period; and

  (b)   the period has ended; and

  (c)   after the end of the period, the second person has been supplied with such goods or services by another person and has not also been supplied with such goods or services by the first person;

then, for the purposes of the application of this section in relation to anything done after the second person has been supplied with goods or services as mentioned in paragraph   (c), the first person is not to be taken to be a person who has been accustomed to supply such goods or services to the second person.

Meaning of accustomed to acquire

  (7)   In this section, a reference to a person who has been accustomed to acquire goods or services from a second person includes (subject to subsection   (8)):

  (a)   a regular acquirer of such goods or services from the second person; or

  (b)   a person who, when last acquiring such goods or services, acquired them from the second person; or

  (c)   a person who, at any time during the immediately preceding 3 months, acquired such goods or services from the second person.

Exception to subsection   (7)

  (8)   If:

  (a)   goods or services have been acquired by a person from a second person under a contract between them that required the first person to acquire such goods or services over a period; and

  (b)   the period has ended; and

  (c)   after the end of the period, the second person has refused to supply such goods or services to the first person;

then, for the purposes of the application of this section in relation to anything done after the second person has refused to supply goods or services as mentioned in paragraph   (c), the first person is not to be taken to be a person who has been accustomed to acquire such goods or services from the second person.

Note:   Conduct that would otherwise contravene this section can be authorised under section   88.