Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation competed unfairly against private company
Nuclear agency ‘breached competition rules’, ABC News, By business editor Peter Ryan April 05, 2012 Australia’s government-owned nuclear and scientific agency been has criticised for using its public ownership to win a contract to supply nuclear medicine to hospitals in New South Wales.
A report by the Productivity Commission has found that the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) breached some rules on competitive advantage when it beat a small private company, Cyclopharm Limited, in the multi-million dollar tender last year.
Cyclopharm specialises in the production of radio pharmaceuticals used
to detect and track cancer.
When Cyclopharm lost the bid, it complained to the Productivity
Commission that the government-owned ANSTO had failed to comply with
rules on competitive neutrality.
Cyclopharm claimed the prices included in the PETNET tender did not
reflect the true costs, and that its profits were not commercially
acceptable.
After a nine-month investigation, the Productivity Commission’s
Competitive Neutrality Complaints Office has made two key findings in
favour of Cyclopharm…
….. Mr McBrayer, Cyclopharm’s chief executive James McBrayer says
ANSTO should be supporting Australian industry, not hampering it.
The NSW health ministry is yet to respond to the commission’s
findings, and says it would be inappropriate comment until the report
has been completely reviewed.
The Federal Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and
Research Chris Evans also had no comment, and has referred the report
to ANSTO. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-05/nuclear-agency-accused-of-anti-competitive-behaviour/3934180
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