Price-fixing racket headed to court. (Global Report on Australia).(Brief Article)

Australia -- A string of distributors and retailers in the Ballarat region of Victoria have been accused of colluding to jack up fuel prices by as much as 10 cents a liter. They face fines of up to $10 million for each offense if found guilty. Seven senior managers accused of setting weekly prices during meetings and telephone calls also risk individual fines of up to $500,000.

Industry experts have predicted the case could have widespread ramifications for petrol pricing in regional Victoria. At least one other rural area is also the subject of a major investigation. T