unregulated monopolies

drought-stricken lake and lime farmers in Peru

Peruvian farmers are getting a raw deal thanks to unfair prices for their produce, water shortages and unregulated corporate profiteering, reports Ben Radford.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairperson Rod Sims said selling public assets has created unregulated monopolies that hurt productivity and damaged the economy. Speaking at the Melbourne Economic Forum on July 26, Sims said the sale of ports and electricity infrastructure and the opening of vocational education to private companies had caused the public to lose faith in privatisation and deregulation. Sims said: "I've been a very strong advocate of privatisation for probably 30 years; I believe it enhances economic efficiency.