27 Nov 2009

Timber case goes back to court

12:57 pm on 27 November 2009

The Commerce Commission case against Carter Holt Harvey over timber quality is heading back to court.

The Supreme Court says the basis of the case is that between 2000 and 2003, Carter Holt Harvey sold timber as being of a certain grade when it was of a lesser grade.

The company was was fined $900,000 in 2006 for breaches of the Fair Trading Act relating to the sale of the timber.

In a separate action, the Commerce Commission is trying to get compensation for the tens of thousands of people who it says paid more for the timber than they should have.

The Supreme Court decision, released on Friday, overturns a decision of the Court of Appeal that had found the Commission's claim had been filed too late.