Evolution Healthcare seekss for clearance to acquire Austron

Media release

Issued 19 August 2015
Release No. 19

Evolution Healthcare applies for clearance to acquire Austron

The Commerce Commission has received an application from Evolution Healthcare (NZ) Pty Ltd to acquire all of the shares in Austron Limited that it does not currently own.

Evolution is the owner of Boulcott Hospital, a private surgical hospital located in Lower Hutt. Austron is the majority owner of Wakefield Hospital and Bowen Hospital which are both in the Wellington region.

The acquisition would be subject to Evolution selling the business and assets of Boulcott Hospital to a third party.

In assessing the application for clearance, the Commission will consider whether or not Evolution’s proposed sale of Boulcott Hospital would remedy any competition concerns posed by the acquisition.

Background
This is the third application for clearance that the Commission has considered involving these parties, and the supply of private hospital services in Wellington.

On 11 December 2014, the Commission declined an application from Connor Healthcare to acquire all of the shares that it did not currently own in Acurity.

On 17 December 2014, the Commission granted an application from Connor Healthcare to acquire all of the shares that it did not currently own in Acurity, subject to an undertaking that Evolution reduce its shareholding in Acurity to pre-acquisition levels.

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