Vespasian03 and Pear - I agree with your comments. I wonder what...

Vespasian03 and Pear - I agree with your comments. I wonder what Chris Bowen, who is Minister for competition policy, thought of his boss visiting Richard Pratt, probably the biggest corporate criminal in Australian history - $1.5billion. As Prime Minister of Australia, I thought he should have shown better leadership. And I voted for the Labor party, via preferences.

Feeny - I agree there is a clear distinction between Visy and Richard Pratt. However, the judge in the case was quite clear in his judgement that Pratt was up to his neck in it as far as the cartel, was concerned. As the owner of Visy, he was also the main beneficiary of the cartel. You are right about the fine - but my understanding is that the judge could not impose compensation on Visy, only a fine in line with the law and legal precedent. So $1,500,000,000 less $36,000,000 leaves a $1,464,000,000 profit, money that morally belongs to the rest of us. Not legally, but morally.