Case turned on search ads that looked like they were for one company, but actually linked to a competitor. UPDATED with Google, Commerce Commission response.

Move follows Australian regulator's court action.

Air New Zealand’s plans for a transtasman alliance with Virgin Blue have been stalled – for now – by the Australian competition watchdog.

In a draft decision released today, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), proposes to deny authorisation for the alliance, which would see Air New Zealand and Australian low-fare airline Virgin Blue share aircraft, passengers and revenue on transtasman flights.

The ACCC has filed suit against Telstra for refusing rivals’ access to its copper network, sending its shares to a fresh all-time low.

And just to make sure the company is really, really, really out of the running for the National Broadband Network, a senior Telstra employee mocks Communications & IT Minister Stephen Conroy on Twitter.

A suit by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), filed in a Melbourne Federal Court this afternoon, alleges that Telstra refused to let rivals access seven of its phone exchanges.