The changes that began in 2007 with the election of the new Labor government and the promise of a tougher ACCC reached fruition in 2008 with a series of reforms, not least the development of the long-touted criminal penalties for cartel offences. The ACCC also issued new guidelines on how it will deal with mergers. Sources note with approval that Graeme Samuel and his team have been "proactive and willing to listen to ideas.