NATIONAL COMPETITION COUNCIL

The National Competition Council is a research and advisory body which was established in 1995 by agreement of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The Council's main function is to recommend on the regulation of third party access to services provided by monopoly infrastructure. Section 29B of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 sets out the functions and powers of the Council. The National Access Regime in Part IIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (TPA) seeks t... o promote the efficient operation of, use of and investment in monopoly infrastructure. The regime provides for access to the services of infrastructure facilities on appropriate terms, through the declaration of services. The Council’s role under the National Access Regime is to make recommendations to relevant ministers in relation to applications for declaration of services and also the certification of state or territory access regimes. The Council has a similar role under the National Gas Law, whereby it makes recommendations on the coverage of natural gas pipeline systems. Under the National Gas Law, the Council also has the tasks of deciding the form of regulation of natural gas pipeline systems (light or full regulation), classifying pipelines (as transmission or distribution) and recommending in relation to various exemptions for greenfields gas pipelines.More