Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Tyco Australia Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 401

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Tyco Australia Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 401

Respondents engaged in price fixing and other anti-competitive cartel arrangements in breach of s 45 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth). Appropriate penalties were determined having regard to the gravity of contraventions, extent of participation, market position, cooperation with authorities, and personal circumstances. Injunctive relief was ordered to prevent future contraventions.

Parties
Applicant: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission; First Respondent: Tyco Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Wormald Australia Pty Ltd) t/as Wormald Fire Systems ACN 008 399 004; Second Respondent: Grinnell Asia Pacific Pty Limited t/as O'Donnell Griffin ACN 003 905 093; Third Respondent: FFE Building Services Ltd (formerly Chubb Building Services Ltd) (formerly James Hardie Building Services P/L) t/as Fire Fighting Enterprises ACN 000 067 541; Fourth Respondent: Patrick Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 592 999; Fifth Respondent: Independent Fire Sprinklers Pty Ltd ACN 009 976 854; Sixth Respondent: Independent Fire Alarms Pty Ltd ACN 009 705 720; Seventh Respondent: Allfire Systems Pty Ltd ACN 010 713 149; Eighth Respondent: The Asset Group (Brisbane) Pty Ltd (formerly Asset Fire and Security Pty Ltd) ACN 061 327 786; Ninth Respondent: Associated Fire Systems Pty Ltd ACN 010 404 770; Tenth Respondent: Enterprise Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 595 212; Eleventh Respondent: Enterprise Fire Protection Electrics Pty Ltd ACN 069 159 744; Twelfth Respondent: Firevac Pty Ltd ACN 010 607 379; Thirteenth Respondent: Impact Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 006 615 452; Fourteenth Respondent: Premier Fire Protection (Qld) Pty Ltd ACN 050 410 636; Fifteenth Respondent: Trident Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 243 811; Sixteenth Respondent: Sensor Systems (Aust) Pty Ltd ACN 065 444 368; Seventeenth Respondent: F & H Pty Ltd (formerly Matthews Fire Alarm Pty Ltd) ACN 009 659 410; Eighteenth Respondent: Burmess Pty Ltd t/as BEI Services ACN 010 623 677; Nineteenth Respondent: Richard McCormack; Twentieth Respondent: Kenneth Edwin Waller; Twenty First Respondent: Kevin Fisher; Twenty Second Respondent: Matthew Sproule; Twenty Third Respondent: Terence Michael McDonald; Twenty Fourth Respondent: Raymond Edward King; Twenty Fifth Respondent: Michael John Lewis; Twenty Sixth Respondent: David James Crosby; Twenty Seventh Respondent: Trevor Patrick; Twenty Eighth Respondent: Derek Cooper; Twenty Ninth Respondent: Alexander Robert Thomson; Thirtieth Respondent: Gordon Edmund Day; Thirty First Respondent: Allan Geoffrey Murrell; Thirty Second Respondent: Kerry John Moulds; Thirty Third Respondent: Kevyn Raymond Allen; Thirty Fourth Respondent: John Edmund Barney; Thirty Fifth Respondent: Brian Geoffrey Davies; Thirty Sixth Respondent: David Wellmand Douyere; Thirty Seventh Respondent: David William Kemp; Thirty Eighth Respondent: Leslie John Bailey; Thirty Ninth Respondent: Edward Peter Golemba; Fortieth Respondent: Michael Wild; Forty First Respondent: Steven Walter Spurr; Forty Second Respondent: Clint Lawrence Prickett; Forty Third Respondent: Ian James Taylor; Forty Fourth Respondent: William John Lynch; Forty Fifth Respondent: Brian Graham Starkey; Forty Sixth Respondent: Kenneth Brian Thomson; Forty Seventh Respondent: Eon William Radley; Forty Eighth Respondent: Gregory John Bourke; Forty Ninth Respondent: John Franklin Preece; Fiftieth Respondent: Roy Ernest Tesch; Fifty First Respondent: Dennis Brett; Fifty Second Respondent: Nigel Stephen Rehbock; Fifty Third Respondent: Kenneth Norman Rose; Fifty Fourth Respondent: Noel Anthony Meyer; Fifty Fifth Respondent: William Francis Sheehan; Fifty Sixth Respondent: Alan John Blundell; Fifty Seventh Respondent: Chubb Australia Limited
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
22 March 2000
Procedural Posture
Civil / Post Liability, Penalty and Injunctive Relief Orders
Outcome
Penalties, injunctions, and costs orders made against specified respondents as set out in the orders. Notice of motion adjourned sine die for cross-respondents.
Legal Topics
Anti Competitive Conduct, Cartel Conduct, Price Fixing, Penalties, Injunctions
Competition Law Trade Practices Anti Competitive Conduct Cartel Conduct Price Fixing Penalties Injunctions

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Parties

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Applicant

Tyco Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Wormald Australia Pty Ltd) t/as Wormald Fire Systems ACN 008 399 004

First Respondent

Grinnell Asia Pacific Pty Limited t/as O'Donnell Griffin ACN 003 905 093

Second Respondent

FFE Building Services Ltd (formerly Chubb Building Services Ltd) (formerly James Hardie Building Services P/L) t/as Fire Fighting Enterprises ACN 000 067 541

Third Respondent

Patrick Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 592 999

Fourth Respondent

Independent Fire Sprinklers Pty Ltd ACN 009 976 854

Fifth Respondent

Independent Fire Alarms Pty Ltd ACN 009 705 720

Sixth Respondent

Allfire Systems Pty Ltd ACN 010 713 149

Seventh Respondent

The Asset Group (Brisbane) Pty Ltd (formerly Asset Fire and Security Pty Ltd) ACN 061 327 786

Eighth Respondent

Associated Fire Systems Pty Ltd ACN 010 404 770

Ninth Respondent

Enterprise Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 595 212

Tenth Respondent

Enterprise Fire Protection Electrics Pty Ltd ACN 069 159 744

Eleventh Respondent

Firevac Pty Ltd ACN 010 607 379

Twelfth Respondent

Impact Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 006 615 452

Thirteenth Respondent

Premier Fire Protection (Qld) Pty Ltd ACN 050 410 636

Fourteenth Respondent

Trident Fire Protection Pty Ltd ACN 010 243 811

Fifteenth Respondent

Sensor Systems (Aust) Pty Ltd ACN 065 444 368

Sixteenth Respondent

F & H Pty Ltd (formerly Matthews Fire Alarm Pty Ltd) ACN 009 659 410

Seventeenth Respondent

Burmess Pty Ltd t/as BEI Services ACN 010 623 677

Eighteenth Respondent

Richard McCormack

Nineteenth Respondent

Kenneth Edwin Waller

Twentieth Respondent

Kevin Fisher

Twenty First Respondent

Matthew Sproule

Twenty Second Respondent

Terence Michael McDonald

Twenty Third Respondent

Raymond Edward King

Twenty Fourth Respondent

Michael John Lewis

Twenty Fifth Respondent

David James Crosby

Twenty Sixth Respondent

Trevor Patrick

Twenty Seventh Respondent

Derek Cooper

Twenty Eighth Respondent

Alexander Robert Thomson

Twenty Ninth Respondent

Gordon Edmund Day

Thirtieth Respondent

Allan Geoffrey Murrell

Thirty First Respondent

Kerry John Moulds

Thirty Second Respondent

Kevyn Raymond Allen

Thirty Third Respondent

John Edmund Barney

Thirty Fourth Respondent

Brian Geoffrey Davies

Thirty Fifth Respondent

David Wellmand Douyere

Thirty Sixth Respondent

David William Kemp

Thirty Seventh Respondent

Leslie John Bailey

Thirty Eighth Respondent

Edward Peter Golemba

Thirty Ninth Respondent

Michael Wild

Fortieth Respondent

Steven Walter Spurr

Forty First Respondent

Clint Lawrence Prickett

Forty Second Respondent

Ian James Taylor

Forty Third Respondent

William John Lynch

Forty Fourth Respondent

Brian Graham Starkey

Forty Fifth Respondent

Kenneth Brian Thomson

Forty Sixth Respondent

Eon William Radley

Forty Seventh Respondent

Gregory John Bourke

Forty Eighth Respondent

John Franklin Preece

Forty Ninth Respondent

Roy Ernest Tesch

Fiftieth Respondent

Dennis Brett

Fifty First Respondent

Nigel Stephen Rehbock

Fifty Second Respondent

Kenneth Norman Rose

Fifty Third Respondent

Noel Anthony Meyer

Fifty Fourth Respondent

William Francis Sheehan

Fifty Fifth Respondent

Alan John Blundell

Fifty Sixth Respondent

Chubb Australia Limited

Fifty Seventh Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil / Post Liability, Penalty and Injunctive Relief Orders

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether respondents contravened s 45 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) by engaging in collusive arrangements affecting competition in fire sprinkler and fire alarm markets
  2. 2 Appropriate penalties and injunctions for admitted contraventions

Ratio Decidendi

Respondents engaged in price fixing and other anti-competitive cartel arrangements in breach of s 45 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth). Appropriate penalties were determined having regard to the gravity of contraventions, extent of participation, market position, cooperation with authorities, and personal circumstances. Injunctive relief was ordered to prevent future contraventions.

Court Disposition

Penalties, injunctions, and costs orders made against specified respondents as set out in the orders. Notice of motion adjourned sine die for cross-respondents.

Orders

  • Specified pecuniary penalties imposed on various respondents, to be paid on staggered schedules as set out in detailed orders.
  • Injunctive relief for three years restraining specified respondents from engaging in or being involved in similar anti-competitive conduct in Queensland and Northern Territory.