Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual report 1996-97

The Committee tabled its report Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual report 1996-97 on 9 March 1998. Copies of the full report are available in PDF format (143KB) or from the Committee Secretariat.

(To view or print the PDF document, you will require the Acrobat PDF Reader, which can be downloaded free of charge from Adobe.)

Media releases
Speeches
Government response to the Committee's report was tabled on 9 March 1999

Table of contents of report: Review of the ACCC annual report 1996-97

FOREWORD

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

TERMS OF REFERENCE

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background
1996-97 changes and developments
Roles, powers and criticisms
Who watches the competition watchdog: The review
Structure of the report

CHAPTER TWO: MERGERS

s 51 statutory exemptions
Transparency of s 87B merger undertakings
Concentration thresholds
Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes

CHAPTER THREE: ACCC LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN THE FOXTEL/ AUSTRALIS MEDIA MERGER CASE

Background
Was the engagement necessary in the public interest?
Was the engagement lawful?
Was the engagement proper?
Gilbert & Tobin fee arrangement
Perception that there was a windfall for the AGS
Weighing perception and reality
Future arrangements
The AGS backs down: Change to current arrangements
Conclusion
ACCC conflict of interest regarding Optus and restrictions on uses of 131 008 mobile phone access

CHAPTER FOUR: RELATED ISSUES

ACCC compliance work and s 87B undertakings
Bias and the Australian Competition Tribunal
Progress in implementing Wallis Report reforms
Competition, consumer benefits and regional variations
Conclusions on the performance of the ACCC

APPENDIX 1: LIST OF SUBMISSIONS

APPENDIX 2: LIST OF EXHIBITS

APPENDIX 3: LIST OF HEARINGS AND WITNESSES

Private Briefing

APPENDIX 4: CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO ENGAGEMENT OF GILBERT & TOBIN SOLICITORS

APPENDIX 5: REVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 1995-96: LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

COMMITTEE'S REVIEWS OF ANNUAL REPORTS - 38TH PARLIAMENT

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1: Key aspects of the ACCC's 1996-97 annual report
Table 2.1: Concerns raised about the way in which the ACCC carries out its functions
Table 3.1: Summary of evidence provided on the Gilbert & Tobin solicitors fee arrangements

Media releases

During the course of the inquiry the following media releases were issued by the Committee:

• 9 March 1998 Review of the ACCC annual report 1996-97
• 16 January 1998 AGS backs down on payment of lawyers in Foxtel/Australis Media case
• 4 December 1997 Parliamentary scrutiny of ACCC use of lawyers in Australis Media case
• 20 November 1997 ACCC again under close scrutiny by Parliamentary Committee

Speeches

• Tabling speech: Mr D Hawker MP (Chairman) Part 1 and Part 2, 9 March 1998
• Tabling speech: Mr G Wilton MP (Deputy Chairman), 9 March 1998

Back to top