AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION
PO Box 1199
Dickson ACT 2602
Australia
Tel: +61 2 6243 1111
Fax: +61 2 6243 1199
Email: infocentre@accc.gov.au
Background
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) formed on 6 November 1995 by the merger of the Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority.
Its formation was an important step in the implementation of the national competition policy reform program agreed by the Council of Australian Governments. The Commission's publication Summaries of the Trade Practices Act and Prices Surveillance Act includes a brief general background to the competition policy reform program.
An independent statutory authority, the Commission administers the Trade Practices Act 1974 and has additional responsibilities under other legislation. Under the national competition policy reform program the Trade Practices Act has been amended so that, with State/Territory application legislation, its prohibitions of anti-competitive conduct apply to virtually all businesses in Australia.
In broad terms the Act covers, anti-competitive and unfair market practices, mergers or acquisitions of companies, product safety/liability and third party access to facilities of national significance. The Commission is the only national agency dealing generally with competition matters and the only agency with responsibility for enforcement of the Trade Practices Act and the associated State/Territory application legislation.
The Department of the Treasury has portfolio responsibility for the Commission. The Treasurer is the Minister responsible for restrictive trade practices and pricing policy. In consumer affairs, the responsible Minister is the Minister for Financial Services and Regulation (within the Treasury portfolio). The Commission's consumer protection work complements that of State and Territory consumer affairs agencies, which administer the mirror legislation of their jurisdictions, and the Consumer Affairs Division of Treasury.
Commissioners
Members of the Commission are: Mr Graeme Samuel, Chairperson, Ms Louise Sylvan, Deputy Chair, Mr John Martin, Mr Ed Willett, Mr Stephen King, Mr David Smith and Ms Jennifer McNeill. Ex-officio Commissioners (Australian Energy Regulator) Mr Steve Edwell and Mr Geoff Swier.
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR
GPO Box 520
Melbourne VIC 3001
Australia
Tel: (03) 9290 1444
Fax: (03) 9290 1457
Email: AERInquiry@aer.gov.au
Background
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is a constituent part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was established under Part IIIAA of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and operates as a separate legal entity. The AER regulates the wholesale electricity market and electricity transmission networks in the national electricity market (NEM).
The AER will also be responsible for the economic regulation of gas transmission networks and enforcing the gas access code in all jurisdictions except Western Australia. Further, the Australian Energy Market Agreement of June 2004 establishes that future powers of the AER will include responsibility for the economic regulation of both NEM and gas distribution networks (except in Western Australia) and retail markets (other than retail pricing) following the development of an agreed national framework. The AER may acquire additional functions in the future under state and territory laws, in accordance with inter-governmental agreements. In Western Australia, the AER will not perform regulatory functions relating to the gas or electricity markets. In the Northern Territory, the AER will not be empowered to perform functions relating to the electricity market. For administrative simplicity, all ACCC documents relating to the gas transmission regulation function have been included on the AER website.
The principal functions of the AER include:
The AER comprises:
Chairman ¡V Mr Steve Edwell
Members ¡V Mr Geoff Swier and Mr Ed Willett
NATIONAL COMPETITION COUNCIL
Level 9 / 128 Exhibition Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Tel: + 613 9285 7474
Fax: + 613 9285 7477
Email: info@ncc.gov.au
Background
The National Competition Council was created in November 1995. Its core statutory functions are to provide advice on access to significant infrastructure services, under The Trade Practices Act 1974, and on whether State and Territory government businesses should be subject to prices surveillance by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, under the Prices Surveillance Act 1983.
The Council also has a role in providing competition policy advice under the three National Competition Policy Agreements signed by all Australian Governments in April 1995. This includes:
Council members
The Council consists of a President and four Councillors - who are qualified by virtue of their knowledge of, or experience in, industry, commerce, economics, law, consumer protection or public administration. Members serve on a part-time basis, as required, for a term of up to 5 years.