There is a wide gap between the pricing of certain IT products sold in Australia and identical products sold in other markets. This submission focuses on how these price differences have an impact on basic consumer protections, small businesses and people with disability.

Summary:

ACCAN recognises that the price Australians pay for hardware and software is influenced by a range of complex factors including higher wages or rental costs that impact on businesses supplying goods to the Australian market. ACCAN is concerned however that some companies with significant market power choose to charge higher prices in Australia than other countries, even when factors that add to the cost of doing business in Australia do not apply (e.g. when products such as software are delivered digitally). This practice is known as international price discrimination and, while it isn’t illegal, it is unfair and doesn't serve the interests of Australian consumers.

Submission to: House Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications

Status:Submitted

Download: ACCAN response to Inquiry into IT Pricing [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 736.38 KB]

Download: ACCAN response to Inquiry into IT Pricing [Word Document - 1.1 MB]