The Competitive Edge

Trading Places: New ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams on competition law and economics, concentration and paradigms.

The Competitive Edge

Show Notes

New ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams AM trades a long history in economics in the private sector and academia for a crucial role with the competition regulator. He joins partner Simon Muys to discuss the history and future of competition law and economics, from misuse of market power to the structure–conduct–performance paradigm. Plus we examine the proposed merger notification thresholds; Disney's in court for unfair contract terms and a sports joint venture; the new anti-siphoning list gets a workout; the CMA investigates Ticketmaster over Oasis tickets; and the long awaited amendments to the Privacy Act finally land. All this and dynamic pricing with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected] NPR on Trading Places and the Eddie Murphy rule G+T on the draft notification thresholds and their place in the new merger framework More about motorway interchange design than you probably need to know The Conversation on Disney's arbitration clause Judge Margaret M. Garnett issues a preliminary injunction against the Venu sports streaming joint venture The BBC on Oasis and Ticketmaster and Choice on dynamic pricing G+T on the first tranche of amendments to the Privacy Act The Bundeskartellamt on applying the Remondis clause to Remondis Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected] Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More from The Competitive Edge

Oct 22, 2026

Romany Webb, Deputy Director of the Sabin Centre for Climate Change Law at Columbia University takes us through the whiplash of the energy transition in the United States, from the Green New Deal to Drill Baby Drill, and how governments and courts have made and remade climate policy. Plus IAG and RAC test-drive the new public benefits merger test, Coles takes its Kalgoorlie expansion to the Tribunal, and artificial intelligence becomes super intelligence … All this and Mission Impossible with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Links: The New Yorker on all the President's movies James Hennessy on Sydney at the End of the World IAG on its public benefits application Uber Eats in Kalgoorlie-Boulder Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence Superintelligence: The Movie Romany Webb's presentation Our Climate Change and Sustainability team update on the High Court's decision in MACH Energy Australia v Denman Aberdeen Muswellbrook Scone Healthy Environment Group Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected]

Sep 25, 2026

Commissioner Luke Woodward takes us through the ACCC's evolving approach to enforcement – from undertakings and infringement notices to dawn raids and court action – and how the ACCC is grappling with, and using, AI. Plus the latest merger reform reforms recalibrate the new regime; the one remedy to rule them all; unfair contract terms and irony in ASIC v CashnGo; and calls for antitrust authorisations to avoid anthropomorphised AI agents absconding … All this and our 5th birthday with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Links "The Equalizer" intro Breaker Morant trailer Edward Woodward's Scottish accent in The Wicker Man G+T on the latest changes to the merger review framework The Peter Warren/Wakeling Automotive and Kimberly-Clark/Kenvue deals on the acquisitions register Kia: The Features Film The ASIC v Venture 5 Group (t/as CashnGo) proceedings Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Ian Jackman as Justice Wolverine ABC on the OpenAI agent breakout in the AI's own words Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected] Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 2, 2026

Energy partner Jamie Guthrie and Competition partner Geoff Petersen give us some good news on the energy transition, along with the challenges that lie ahead -- what the governments and energy networks are doing, the impact of data centres, how to finance it all, and a quasi-carbon tax. Plus merger reform reform gets closer, serial acquisitions in pets and vets, carmakers pull a fast one and the ACCC is furious, and FIFA finds out … All this and Marty McFly with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Links: Dr Emmett Lathrop Brown PhD on 1.21GW The long-awaited Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Accountability for Tax Adviser Misconduct and Other Measures) Bill 2026 More French leave in the Phase 2 Adelaide Hills vet merger, and the Microstar/Konvoy beer keg merger is 86ed The Furious 7 skydriving scene and the ACCC's case against Subaru The Hood's many defeats on The Thunderbirds The Nelson Review, aka the National Electricity Market wholesale market settings review RES Group's 1.21GW Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected] Shai-Hulud Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 19, 2026

That's a RAP: First Nations leaders Rachel Perkins, Fiona Jose and Shane Phillips join us at the Sydney launch of G+T's new Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan. What's a RAP, what's a Stretch RAP, what's our RAP, and what's the competition and consumer connection? Plus optimism and pessimism, model Ts and AI at the ACCC/AER Regulatory Conference, the Golden Globes lodge the Penske File, and the plan to wrap the Opera House. All this and more with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Links:   Things that Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped or wanted to wrap Jayde Richmond from the National Anti-Scam Centre at the Bannerman Competition Lecture AER's final decision on the Basslink conversion Marinus Link and Marinus Dijkhuizen G+T on the new mandatory standards for large-scale data centres and the Office of AI Bono at the 2003 Golden Globes (NSFW) Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected] Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 3, 2026

Partner Elizabeth Avery gives us a world tour of new directions in competition law, theories of harm and merger review both here and overseas, and lessons from our role in the Paramount / Warner Bros merger. Plus news you can use on all the Phase 2s, declarations and exemptions in exceptional circumstances, scambling and other portmanteaux, and how to watch — and how definitely not to watch — The Odyssey … All this and — — — with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein. Links: Twenty Twenty Six on the BBC and the ABC How Perez Prado's Mambo No. 5 became that other one Coles's applications to the Competition Tribunal and the Federal Court L1 Dominette 01449's genome The Government's "exceptional circumstances" bill and the ACCC's class exemption The National Anti-Scam Centre's "scambling" taskforce and NSW's "betiquette" spot The Washington Post on all the ways you can watch The Odyssey Or you could read it! Meet the Gilbert + Tobin Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation team Email us at [email protected]

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