Monopolies 'the go' in Oz

[Brenda Rosser]

As if monopolies weren't part of the economic landscape in Australia
already...there's more to come if John Howard (the diminutive PM) gets in in
the November 10 election.  The buy-up of thousands of family farms by a
handful of
oligopoly, welfare-dependant forestry corporations was bad enough..but
apparently not.

Australian PM to overhaul Trade Practices Act
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,3057040,00.html

"THE "market dominance" test that inhibits domestic takeovers and is blamed
by big business for preventing Australian companies from expanding overseas
faces a shake-up under a re-elected Coalition government"

"But - like the Government's ban on mergers among the big four firms in the
banking sector - the test has been criticised by the top end of town for
making it difficult for Australian companies to grow big enough to
successfully take on overseas markets. "

Brenda Rosser