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DavidB
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 25, 2007
Location: Canberra
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| DavidB |
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 12:06 pm
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According to the Australian Financial Review, Lindsay Fox has lodged an objection with the ACCC to PN buying FA.
"If the deal goes ahead, Pacific National, will have a total monopoly on the rail system in Australia, Fox claims.
"Fox's privately held transport company, Linfox, was hoping to buy the company from RailAmerica Inc."
Cheers
David
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freightgate
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Feb 11, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 19, 2008
Location: Albury, New South Wales
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 12:15 pm
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Fox is probably right. He has changed his tune however, being a major contributor to the victorian liberal party during the Kennett years, in terms of contributions, he didn't say a word when parts of the freight network were pulled up in favour of trucking. Especially South Gippsland.
I also noticed him trying to plug Avalon as the new home of the Melbourne wholesale markets. I wonder if he really cares about rail access to Avalon?
--Bill
CNNNN - "Mr. Howard, what do you think of our new ethanol flavoured lollypops?" Umm Mr. Howard? ..... Mr. Howard??????? ..........
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DavidB
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 25, 2007
Location: Canberra
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| DavidB |
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 12:23 pm
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| freightgate wrote: | | Fox is probably right. He has changed his tune however, being a major contributor to the victorian liberal party during the Kennett years, in terms of contributions, he didn;t say a word when parts of the freight network were pulled up in favour of trucking. Perticularily to South Gippsland. |
A lot of previously anti-rail people have changed their minds since then. They finally worked out that there is money to be made in rail.
Cheers
David
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freightgate
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Feb 11, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 19, 2008
Location: Albury, New South Wales
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 12:51 pm
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Perhaps David. It does not detract from the message that companies like linfox had an influence on the management of Victoria's rail network because it was not in their interest to see trains running when they owned a trucking company. When they now find themselves in a position of having a private rail operator "cut their lunch" they are off whinging again. I guess fox thought it easier to work with the Kennett government in ensuring the growth of his business than PacNat.
--Bill
CNNNN - "Mr. Howard, what do you think of our new ethanol flavoured lollypops?" Umm Mr. Howard? ..... Mr. Howard??????? ..........
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mjja
Sir Nigel Gresley
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 7, 2009
Location: Mount Waverley, Melbourne
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| mjja |
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:19 pm
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Most of the operators are realising that when looked after, rail is just plain better for moving freight around. It costs less to move things, which means a lot in such a low-margin industry as transport.
Even Scott's, which was renowned for being very anti-rail, had to go back on that and sign up with Freightlink for the Darwin traffic. Otherwise they'd just be priced out of the market.
Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"
Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)
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Shacks
Ghanzel
Joined: Mar 03, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
Location: Sir Big Lens of the Distant (Signal) North.
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| Shacks |
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 10:37 pm
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Acording to the ACCC website, Lin Fox put an objection to NR buying the NSW system. The sale went through on the agreement that NR would remain out of the Victorian freight system. So going by this the PN sale will be rejected. Another thing to take note of is that Lin Fox has shares in FreightLink.
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freightgate
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Feb 11, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 19, 2008
Location: Albury, New South Wales
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:14 am
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| mjja wrote: | | Even Scott's, which was renowned for being very anti-rail, had to go back on that and sign up with Freightlink for the Darwin traffic. Otherwise they'd just be priced out of the market. |
This is a sound viewpoint. I would however question Scott's commitment to Rail. I have read on these forums Scott's were handed the Mount Gambier freightgate business but have not been committed to developing the product. If scott's had pressured the SA government for an SG coversion of the line, I believe it would have gone through post haste.
Does Scott's use Mount Gambier as a freight base for all their freight volumes?
--Bill
CNNNN - "Mr. Howard, what do you think of our new ethanol flavoured lollypops?" Umm Mr. Howard? ..... Mr. Howard??????? ..........
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freightgate
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Feb 11, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 19, 2008
Location: Albury, New South Wales
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:18 am
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| Shacks wrote: | | Acording to the ACCC website, Lin Fox put an objection to NR buying the NSW system. The sale went through on the agreement that NR would remain out of the Victorian freight system. So going by this the PN sale will be rejected. Another thing to take note of is that Lin Fox has shares in FreightLink. |
If this is so, then I believe it will make the sale difficult for PACNAT. If PN was to be the unsucessful bidder for the business, who would be the next choice? Perhaps LinFox put in a signifcant bid for the business and therefore is hoping to be the next cab off the rank in the bidding war. Where would QR sit on the bid?
--Bill
CNNNN - "Mr. Howard, what do you think of our new ethanol flavoured lollypops?" Umm Mr. Howard? ..... Mr. Howard??????? ..........
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mjja
Sir Nigel Gresley
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 7, 2009
Location: Mount Waverley, Melbourne
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| mjja |
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 12:27 pm
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| freightgate wrote: | | mjja wrote: | | Even Scott's, which was renowned for being very anti-rail, had to go back on that and sign up with Freightlink for the Darwin traffic. Otherwise they'd just be priced out of the market. |
This is a sound viewpoint. I would however question Scott's commitment to Rail. I have read on these forums Scott's were handed the Mount Gambier freightgate business but have not been committed to developing the product. If scott's had pressured the SA government for an SG coversion of the line, I believe it would have gone through post haste.
Does Scott's use Mount Gambier as a freight base for all their freight volumes?
--Bill |
I don't think they are committed to rail. They just couldn't make the figures add up on Darwin traffic by road.
I agree, if they really saw rail as the way to go they would have been screaming about SGisation of the lines in the area.
Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"
Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)
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rjaygee
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Jul 26, 2003
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 12:43 pm
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The ACCC looks at the monopoly position in overall industries so it will judge PN's offer to purchase FA not just on its position in the rail transport component of the industry but the position of it in the overall land transport industry. As road has the majority stake in the land transport industry I believe ACCC will find that PN will not have a monopoly position in the overall land transport industry, even if it does take over FA and then have a dominant position in the rail transport industry.
Cheers
Rod Gayford
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DavidB
Site Admin
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 12:52 pm
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However you have to take the overall market share of Patrick and Toll into account.
Cheers
David
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Fireman Dave
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
Location: Probably Filthy McFaddens
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 7:06 pm
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One of the other issues raised by the Fox/Finnimore consortium was the PN bid being put in after the closing date for offers. They offered $280M and PN won after the date with only $285M.
Dave Malcolm
DRIVER, PN CMD
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sarlocoash
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Oct 31, 2003
Last Visited: Feb 5, 2005
Location: south Australia
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 10:26 pm
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One of the other issues raised by the Fox/Finnimore consortium was the PN bid being put in after the closing date for offers. They offered $280M and PN won after the date with only $285M.
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lastime i checked Finnimores was owned by Toll.
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Shacks
Ghanzel
Joined: Mar 03, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
Location: Sir Big Lens of the Distant (Signal) North.
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| Shacks |
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 12:52 pm
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I thought Lin Fox's partner in crime to buy Ansett, Solimon Lue (?), owned Finnimores. Or did he sell it after he brought it from Les Finnimore ?
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bevans
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 2:12 pm
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| Fireman Dave wrote: | | One of the other issues raised by the Fox/Finnimore consortium was the PN bid being put in after the closing date for offers. They offered $280M and PN won after the date with only $285M. |
Dave, this is significent. However, the offer to sell probably included a clause which says we can consider bids after the due date, at the descretion of RA.
It is interesting. How did PN know to bid an extra $5m??
Regards,
Brian
RP2 - Project Director
The Hon Peter Garrett, every performance a sell-out!
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