The Commerce Commission conference of interested parties to the proposal to close the Weddel meat processing plants begins on Monday in the seminar suite at the Wellington Town Hall.
Commission Chairman Alan Bollard said the conference will continue until Friday and the Commission expects to make a final determination at about the end of the month.
Dr Bollard said a consortium of meat companies has applied for authorisation of restrictive trade practices in relation to its proposal to buy and then close the plants.
The Commerce Act prohibits potentially anti-competitive behaviour, such as restrictive trade practices. However, it also allows for authorisation of some restrictive trade practices if it can be shown that public benefit is greater than detriment to competition.
In a draft determination released in November the Commission said its preliminary view is the proposal would be likely to substantially lessen competition and that this anti-competitive effect would not be outweighed by public benefits.
The Commission called the conference to gain further information from the consortium and interested parties.
The consortium and people and organisations who made submissions to the Commission will be able to speak at the conference.
(A list of presentations and their approximate timings is attached. Please refer to diary note for Chief Reporter/News Editor released December 16 for conference details.)
Media contact:Communications Officer Vince Cholewa
Phone: work (04) 471 0180, home (04) 479 1432
If you are attending the conference, the Commission contact at the venue will be Chief Investigator Geoff Thorn.
