Billionaire media baron Kerry Stokes’ decision to increase the cost of printing The Australian Financial Review in Western Australia so high it has forced the cancellation of hard copies in the state appears to breach competition laws, former watchdog chief Graeme Samuel says.

The Financial Review will go digital-only in Perth from May 22, after the Seven West Media-owned monopoly printing company in Western Australia, Colourpress, cancelled Nine Entertainment’s contract and demanded a 100 per cent price increase. Nine, which owns the Financial Review, refused.