Agency Budget Statements

National Competition Council

Section 1: Overview

The role of the National Competition Council (NCC) is to oversee and assist the implementation of National Competition Policy and related reforms as outlined in frameworks developed and agreed by all governments, including whether the Australian Government, States and Territories made satisfactory progress towards their commitments to competition policy reform. Its responsibilities also include assisting public awareness of governments’ competition reform agendas and recommending on the design and coverage of infrastructure access regimes under Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and the National Third Party Access Code for Natural Gas Pipeline Systems (National Gas Code).

Through constructive engagement with governments the NCC has worked to complete the reform programme agreed by governments in April 1995. The NCC also helps the community to become better attuned to the scope and potential favourable outcomes of competition reform. This approach facilitates increased competition where it will result in greater economic growth, less unemployment, better social outcomes and the better use of resources for the benefit of all Australians. This vision is embodied in the NCC’s mission: ‘To improve the wellbeing of all Australians through growth, innovation, and rising productivity, by promoting competition that is in the public interest’.

Table 1.1: Agency outcomes and output groups