POPULAR WORDS

The competition watchdog is taking two Queensland truck dealers to court for alleged price fixing and market sharing of Hino vehicles.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has begun civil proceedings in the Brisbane Federal Court against Vanderfield, Sci-Fleet Motors and three individuals for fixing prices and sharing information on truck sales.

Vanderfield sells Hino trucks in Toowoomba and the Gold Coast and Sci-Fleet sells Hino trucks in Brisbane.

The ACCC alleges that between about February 2005 and September 2006 Vanderfield, through its then sales managers Bavin Cherry and John McGuinn, and Sci-Fleet, through a sales manager Ross Goodwin, made and gave effect to anti-competitive agreements in relation to the sale of light and medium trucks, in contravention of section 45 of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

The ACCC is seeking court orders including declarations, injunctions and pecuniary penalties against the two companies and the three individuals.

The matter has been set down for a directions hearing on July 28 before Justice Greenwood.