Stepney College needs to carry out stone restoration works to the faade of one of their buildings
Question:
Stepney College needs to carry out stone restoration works to the faade of one of their buildings in the Melbourne City Centre. The college approaches a couple of stone restoration companies - Heritage Stone Victoria Pty Ltd and Gallagher Stone Restoration Pty Ltd - to request quotes. The two stone restoration companies organise a meeting with each other at which they agree that Gallagher will submit a much higher quote than Heritage Stone, and in return Heritage Stone will pay a sum of $10,000 to Gallagher when they are awarded the contract. Advise the two companies as to whether their agreement is wise. Your advice should consider the legality of their planned action, specific laws which might be broken, and any potential penalties the two stone restoration companies might incur or actions they might be ordered to undertake by the court. You should research and refer to a recent 2022 court decision from the Federal Court of Australia, which involved similar factual circumstances, to support and guide your answer.