Pratt guilty of price fixing: May face AFL Commission p15

AGRO · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:21 am

camelboy wrote:

Patrick Smith is still banging on about Pratt's suitability as Carlton president. Now, I'll admit that the price-fixing rorts at Visy are not a great look. But, apart from that I cannot see what this has to do with the position of Carlton president.

When Smith vigourously defends the Eagles sacking of Cousins he can offer hard facts and solid reasoning for doing so.

When attacking Pratt's suitability for presidency at Carlton he lacks any solid foundation for holding this position. This is a copy of an email I sent in to SEN just now <hungryforsport@sen.com.au>...

Quote:

KB and Patrick

Since admitting to the price-fixing offences has Richard Pratt been forced to relinquish his role at Visy?

No.

So why should he be expected to do so at Carlton? Given that the offence Patrick is so hung up about had absolutely NOTHING to do with Carlton and moreover, the offences took place before he had an official role at Carlton. On what grounds should he not be allowed to continue his role at the club? The grounds that Patrick Smith hates Carlton are not sufficient in my opinion.

And what if Visy dobbed on Amcor first, would Patrick still be asking for Pratt to step aside? It takes two companies to collude on pricing, and yet, only one is copping the heat???

Maybe he's just dirty that Carlton have won 16 grand finals and Essendon* have only won 14 grand finals???

Maybe he's just dirty that his team under achieved c1999???

Maybe he's just scared that Carlton will get to premiership #17 first???

:roll:

I'd say you are in "the box seat" for nil response from both Prune Face and Fat Bastard on the grounds that they are both too stupid to see the good point you have made. :wink:

Molly · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:28 am

Did anyone hear Barry Cassidy on Insiders yesterday asking Peter Costello if he thought Richard Pratt should no longer be President of the Carlton Football Club???

Don't turn us into a political football :evil:

camel · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:19 pm

JohnM wrote:

What Pratt did was obviously wrong, but I don't have a black&white view of these things.

The Victorian Government was perfectly happy to have a monopoly on lotteries for decades. A monopoly on casino's was also approved by the Government. Petrol pricing is mysteriously similar across all the chains. Coles and Woolworths are quietly being allowed to buy up liquor licences and split the market between themselves. Qantas and Virgin's airfares are very, very similar just about all of the time. Both major political parties do all they can to ensure a third or fourth party is never allowed to challeng their position.

and so on and so on.

So he did wrong, and is being punished. But does his behaviour make him any worse than the people involved in the above scenarios?

To me that is irrelevant.

As far as I can tell Pratt has not fallen foul of any AFL or club rules that would see him unfit to hold his position.

Obviously, the debate is one of moral grounds, but even still, if the courts deem that Pratt is still able to continue his role at Visy, then why should he be expected to leave his role at Carlton???

SurreyBlue · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:32 am **Posts:** 10613

People are getting worried and thus clutching at straws regarding Pratt & CFC association. Rejoice people the giant is once again causing pain off-field and soon will be on-field again. It's a beautifull time.

Jez1966 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:42 pm **Posts:** 2833

So then what about one of the AFL sponsors in Qantas also involved in price fixing in the US and have set aside $47M for any potential fine.....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007 ... 003891.htm

budzy · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:17 am **Posts:** 8128

...but he's done some good stuff too ya know

:wink:

Effes · **Posted:** Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:43 pm

Just caught the end of a story on Tony Delroy's "what the papers say" regarding Pratt.....did anyone catch the full story?

Effes · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:07 am

Probe puts Pratt's presidency in doubt

Quote:

BILLIONAIRE Richard Pratt might have to quit as Carlton Football Club president after his admission that his company Visy ran the biggest price-fixing cartel in Australian corporate history.

sideshow bob · **Joined:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 2:44 pm **Posts:** 1600

from the same article:

Quote:

determining whether Mr Pratt is an appropriate person to hold a gaming licence. If he is considered inappropriate, he will have to stand down from the position at Carlton

or just get rid of the gaming

Barack Obama · **Joined:** Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:47 am **Posts:** 1162

sideshow bob wrote:

from the same article:

Quote:

determining whether Mr Pratt is an appropriate person to hold a gaming licence. If he is considered inappropriate, he will have to stand down from the position at Carlton

or just get rid of the gaming

I'm not sure if gaming is relevant looking at that article. I think you need a gaming license to be on the board of any club? Maybe I'm wrong. If I'm not, as you said, just get rid of the gaming. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing if the club isn't making money off something that can ruin people's lives anyway.

Synbad · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:39 am

Barack Obama wrote:

sideshow bob wrote:

from the same article:

Quote:

determining whether Mr Pratt is an appropriate person to hold a gaming licence. If he is considered inappropriate, he will have to stand down from the position at Carlton

or just get rid of the gaming

I'm not sure if gaming is relevant looking at that article. I think you need a gaming license to be on the board of any club? Maybe I'm wrong. If I'm not, as you said, just get rid of the gaming. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing if the club isn't making money off something that can ruin people's lives anyway.

beat up!!! :roll:

Buzza4 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:38 am

If you ask anti-gaming researchers and academics what are they going to say? Last I heard an anti gaming researcher at VU is not an expert in law. Yet another dazzling display of hard hitting, fact-based journalism. You can be proud of that Michael Gleeson.

Not.

blue4 · **Joined:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:04 pm **Posts:** 976

sensationalistic crap.. the finance industry has been price fixing for decades.

value of a commodity is merely what people are prepared to pay for it.

if financials demand 10% growth y-o-y obviously the price of a commodity will be manipulated..if the market is prepared to pay that price...then who the flower are these goons prepared to declare what is price fixing and what is not.

mind boggles.

dannyboy · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:31 am

the age is saying he may have to stand down as Carlton president because of the gambling licence.

bluechucky · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:29 am **Posts:** 13689

http://realfooty.com.au/news/news/probe ... 65447.html

Bookie · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:49 am

Woolworths have been done for anti-comp/price fixing and how many machine licences do they own :roll:

TheGame · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:49 am

How much revenue do our pokies make? If it's substantial I think they'll find Pratt to be of suitable character. :wink:

DocSherrin III · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:09 pm **Posts:** 17229

I previously held a position with the State Government that was very close to the dealings of the VCGR and I have first hand knowledge of the processes taking place.

As with most things that involve politically sensative information - all the i's must be dotted and the t's be crossed...this is particularly crucial now to the VCGR because this clown has written this article.

I'd be extremely surprised if the VCGR did not not grant Pratt the gaming licence. I happen to know both researchers in this article and both are extreme anti-gambling and have to say these things despite the impressive record Dick Pratt has in the community which far outweigh his indescretions.

The position I now hold also has quite a bit to do with Dick Pratt - and personally I don't reckon he's got too much to worry about with either in 2008.

mandy · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:06 am

I think he should be stood down. And go to jail.

Oh, and I reckon you guys should lose your draft picks for 2 years.

Crusader · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:07 am

If its just a person that needs to apply for the gaming license, then let's just put Juddy's name down and be done with it.

That's what he's here for isn't it?

Showing my slight lack of knowledge of what's in the business pages, but doesn't former One-Tel executive, James Packer, hold a gambling license?

Pratt guilty of price fixing: May face AFL Commission p15

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