Vic: Pratt would not settle after telling PM there was no breach

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2008
Vic: Pratt would not settle after telling PM there was no breach

MELBOURNE, Dec 11 AAP - Cardboard king Richard Pratt was reluctant to settle a multi-million
dollar cartel case because he had told the then prime minister John Howard he had not
breached the Trade Practices Act, a court has heard.

In a meeting to settle the cartel case last year, a lawyer for Pratt told members of
the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) his client was not prepared
to settle the case because of a discussion he had had with Mr Howard.

Giving evidence in the Federal Court on Thursday, lead ACCC investigator Geoffrey Williams
described the conversation.

"They indicated they had difficulty in relation to Mr Pratt," Mr Williams said.

"They said there was a political issue, they said Mr Pratt had told the prime minister
he had not contravened the Trade Practices Act."

Mr Williams told the court he believed the statement came from Pratt's barrister Jonathan
Beech QC.

Pratt eventually settled the case with Visy and was fined $35 million.

He is now facing criminal charges for allegedly misleading the ACCC.

Pratt's pre-trial hearing to determine what evidence will be admissible at his trial
is continuing.

AAP df/szp/gfr/ldj/cdh

KEYWORD: PRATT

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