2025 Programme
Programme updated 05/06/2025 and subject to minor changes
| 11.45am | Registration open | |
| 12.15pm | Welcome and Introduction Ben Hamlin, Barrister and Chair, Competition Law and Policy Institute of New Zealand Hon Scott Simpson, Minister of Commerce | |
| 1.00pm | Session One: Merger Law Reform
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| Chairperson: Speaker: Commentator: | John Land, Barrister Michael Tilley, Tilley + Co Felicity McMahon, Partner, Allens | |
| 2.15pm | Afternoon tea | |
| 3.00pm | Session Two: Next Gen This session we will hear from a range of the ‘next generation’ on important topics | |
| Chairperson: Speakers: | Dr Will Taylor, Partner, NERA Economic Consulting Why are we applying regulation developed for monopoly sectors to competitive industries? Hey teacher leave those kids alone! Exploring a De Minimis Threshold for New Zealand Competition Law | |
| 4.45pm | Day close | |
| 5.00pm | Annual General Meeting | |
| 7.00pm | Workshop dinner Pravda Café & Grill | |
| 9.00am | Keynote three: Use of economic tests under the SLC test
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| Chairperson: Speakers: | Emma Ihaia, Director, Link Economics Greg Houston, Partner, HoustonKemp Andrew Christopher, Partner, Webb Henderson | |
| 10.10am | Morning tea | |
| 10.30am | Session Four: Conscience and the Courts: The Elusive Standard of Unconscionable Conduct This session will explore the Australian judiciary’s approach to interpreting and applying Australia’s statutory prohibitions against unconscionable conduct over the past 40 years. Despite their long-standing inclusion within Australia’s competition and consumer law framework, the courts have struggled to articulate a stable and coherent standard, leading to uncertainty about where the line is drawn between conscionable and unconscionable conduct. By tracing the fluctuating thresholds applied in key decisions, this session will highlight the challenges of interpreting and enforcing such a complex normative standard and offer guidance on the ‘status quo’. It will also offer timely insights for New Zealand, which recently introduced an equivalent statutory prohibition against unconscionable conduct, the interpretation of which will, according to the Commerce Commission, benefit from considering the Australian experiences and examples. | |
| Chairperson: Speaker: Commentator: | Jennifer Hambleton, Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts Dr Mark Giancaspro, Senior Lecturer, Adelaide Law School | |
| 11.30am | Session Five: Rulemaking and Code of Conduct powers
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| Chairperson: Speaker: Commentator: | Anna Ryan, Partner, Lane Neave TBC TBC | |
| 12.40pm | Lunch | |
| 1.30pm | Session Six: Applying the cartel exceptions
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| Chairperson: Panel: | Jessica White, Chief Legal Counsel - Competition (Acting) Commerce Commission Anna Ryan, Partner, Lane Neave David Blacktop, A&B Competition Lawyers | |
| 2.30pm | Afternoon tea | |
| 2.50pm | Keynote session: | |
| Chairperson Speaker: | Ben Hamlin, Barrister Justice Goddard | |
| 4.00pm | Workshop close | |
| 4.30pm | Closing drinks | |