Inquiries and reports
Key Reports | Active Inquiries | Reports and inquiries by year
Key Reports
Current inquires
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Supermarket Sector Inquiry 2024-2025
ACCC
Announced: 25 January 2024
Type: ACCC Price Inquiry (directed by Treasurer)
Issues Paper: Expected February 2024
Interim Report: Due late 2024
Report: Due early 2025 -
Competition Policy Review 2023-2025
TREASURY
Announced: 23 August 2023
Type: Government (Treasury - Competition Taskforce)
Description: ‘The Review will look at competition laws, policies and institutions to ensure they remain fit‑for‑purpose for the modern economy, with a focus on reforms that would increase productivity, reduce the cost of living and/or lift wages.’
Reporting: Rolling projects and consultations over two years (not a single report) -
Digital platform services inquiry 2020-2025
ACCC
Ministerial direction: 10 February 2020 (to report every 6 months)
First interim report due: 30 September 2020
Subsequent interim reports: every six months
Final Report: 31 March 2025 -
Influence of international digital platforms
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS
Senate Standing Committee on Economics
Reference from Senate: 26 September 2022
Submissions due: 28 February 2023
Public hearings: 22 August and 26 July
Report due: 7 December 2023 -
Gas Inquiry 2017-2025
ACCC
Terms of reference: 19 April 2017
Interim Report: 25 September 2017
Interim Report: 13 December 2017
Future Interim Reports: at least every six months
Final report: 30 December 2025 (Originally 30 April 2020) -
ACCC v Swift Networks
ACCC
Terms of reference issued: 20 August 2018 (to report every 6 months)
First report delivered: 29 March 2019
Last report: 16 September 2019
Next report due: 30 November 2019
Conclusion of inquiry: 31 August 2025
Direction: Directed to conduct inquiry by the Treasurer pursuant to s 95H(1) of the CCA
Completed Inquiries
2022
Penalties: Exposure draft legislation
Treasury
Treasury Laws Amendment (Competition and Consumer Reforms No. 1) Bill 2022: More competition, better prices
Exposure draft bill released: 18 August 2022 (Treasury Laws Amendment (Competition and Consumer Reforms No 1) Bill 2022: More competition, better prices
Consultation closed: 25 August 2022
2021
Digital advertising services inquiry 2020-2021
ACCC
Ministerial direction: 10 February 2020 (to report every 6 months)
Issues paper 10 March 2020
Submissions to issues paper: 21 April 2020
Interim report due: 31 December 2020
Final Report due: 31 August 2021
Final Report published: 28 September 2021
Murray-Darling water Inquiry ➤
ACCC
Commenced: 7 August 2019
Interim report released: 30 July 2020
Final report: 26 March 2021
2020
Perishable agricultural products and dairy industry code inquiry ➤
ACCC
Announced: 26 August 2020
Final Report: December 2020
Northern Australia Insurance Inquiry ➤
ACCC
Terms of reference: 25 May 2017
Issues Paper: 24 October 2017
Public forums: Nov-Dec 2017
Submissions due: 19 January 2018
First interim report: 18 December 2018
Submissions to first interim report: 29 May 2019
Second interim report: 20 Dec 2019
Final report: 30 Nov 2020
News media bargaining code
ACCC
Direction to develop mandatory code: 20 April 2020
Concepts paper: 19 May 2020
Draft code: expected by end July 2020
Submissions on draft code due: 28 August 2020
Legislation passed both houses: 25 February 2021
2019
Inquiry into digital platforms
ACCC
Commenced: 4 December 2017
Terms of reference issued: 4 December 2017
Issues paper: January 2018
Preliminary report: 4 December 2018
Final report due: 4 June 2019 (extended to 30 June 2019)
Final report published: 1 August 2019
Consultation on final report: Opened 1 August 2019
Inquiry into digital platforms: Consultation
Treasury
Commenced: 1 August 2019
Submissions due: 12 September 2019
Closed: 12 September 2019
This was a consultation on the ACCC's Digital Platforms Inquiry Final Report
Draft guidelines on section 95ZN price inquiries
ACCC
Draft guidelines: November 2019
Consultation: 6-20 November 2019
Final guidelines due: December 2019
Foreign currency conversion services inquiry ➤
ACCC
Ministerial approval issued: 2 October 2018
Issues paper: 2 October 2018
Submissions due: 22 October 2018 - received until 20 December 2018
Final report issued: 31 July 2019 (released to public on 2 September 2019)
Ministerial approval: Approval to conduct inquiry given by the Treasurer pursuant to s 95H(2) of the CCA.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2019 [Provisions] ➤
Economics Legislation Committee
Referred: Bill referred by Senate on 19 September 2019
Submissions due: 3 October 2019
Report published: November 2019
Wine grape market study ➤
ACCC
Issues paper issued: 26 September 2018
Submissions due: 2 November 2018
Draft findings expected: March 2019
Interim report: 3 June 2019
Final report: 24 September 2019
See eg: 'Glass half empty: ACCC scrutinises Australian winemakers' (Barraket Stanton Lawyers, 12 March 2019)
Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2018
Senate Standing Committee on Economics
Commenced: 6 December 2018
Submissions due: 25 January 2019
Public hearings: 5-6 February 2019
Reported: 18 March 2019
Domestic transmission capacity service declaration inquiry 2018-2019 ➤
ACCC (Access declaration review)
Commenced: 5 March 2018
Discussion paper: 5 March 2018
Submissions due: 13 April 2018
Final report: 1 April 2019
Existing DTCS declaration due to expire: 31 March 2019
2018
Residential mortgage products price inquiry ➤
ACCC
Ministerial direction: 9 May 2017
Interim report: 15 March 2018
Final report: 11 December 2018
Competition in the Australian Financial System ➤
Productivity Commission
Consultation Paper issued: 6 July 2017
Submissions due: 15 September 2017
Draft report published: 7 February 2018
Final report due: 1 July 2018
Final report delivered: 3 August 2018
Media release: 'Inquiry into the state of competition in the financial system' (Treasurer, 8 May 2017)
Inquiry into retail electricity prices and supply ➤
ACCC
Terms of reference issued: 27 March 2017
Issues paper released: 31 May 2017
Submissions due: 30 June 2017
Preliminary report: 16 October 2017
Submissions on preliminary report: 4 December 2017
Final report due: 30 June 2018
Final report published: 11 July 2018
See ACCC media release (31 May 2017)
Dairy Inquiry ➤
ACCC
Commenced: 27 October 2016
Interim report published: 30 November 2017
Final report released: 30 April 2018
On 28 September 2017 the Treasurer extended the reporting period from November 2017 until 30 April 2018. The final report was published on 30 April 2018.
Internet Competition Inquiry ➤
House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources
Announced: 25 October 2017
Report released: 11 April 2018
Communications sector market study ➤
ACCC
Issues paper released: 5 September 2016
Issues paper sub's closed: 14 October 2016
Draft report: 30 October 2017
Consultation on draft report: 30 October - 8 Dec 2017
Final report released: 5 April 2018
Pecuniary penalties for competition law infringements in Australia
OECD
Report released: 26 March 2018
Electricity price monitoring and response legislative framework ➤
The Treasury
Consultation paper: 23 October 2018
Submissions due: 7 November 2018 (a two week 'consultation' ...)
Reporting? Unknown - consultation concluded
2017
Interim Guidelines on section 46 reforms (misuse of market power) ➤
ACCC
Commenced: 25 October 2017
Submission due: 1 December 2017
Interim Guidelines on concerted practices ➤
ACCC
Commenced: 25 October 2017
Submission due: 1 December 2017
Guidelines and interim forms for merger and non-merger authorisations ➤
ACCC
Commenced: 25 October 2017
Submission due: 1 December 2017
Human Services ➤
Productivity Commission
Commenced: 29 April 2016
Issues Paper: 16 June 2016
Study Report: 5 December 2016
Draft report: 2 June 2017 ('Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice to Human Services')
Final Report: October 2017
NB: Follows Harper Review recommendation that human services sector be assessed
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Abolition of Limited Merits Review) Bill 2017
Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Referred to Committee: 7 September 2017
Submissions due: 19 September 2017
Reported: 16 October 2017
Consequential amendments to Competition and Consumer Regulations (Harper Review) ➤
Treasury
Commenced: 9 August 2017
Submissions closed: 22 August 2017
Reducing barriers to new entrants to the banking sector - removing restrictions on the use of the term 'bank' ➤
Treasury
Exposure draft legislation: Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 8) Bill 2017: amendment to section 66 of Banking Act
Commenced: 17 July 2017
Submissions closed: 14 August 2017
Follows Coleman Review ➤
Competitive Neutrality Review ➤
Treasury
Commenced: 10 March 2017
Closed: 21 April 2017
Cattle and beef market study
ACCC
Issues paper released: 7 April 2016
Submissions due: 6 May 2016
Interim Report Published: 31 October 2016
Submissions on interim report due: 31 October 2016
Final Report released: 7 March 2017
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2016
Senate Economics Committee
Commenced: 1 December 2016
Submissions due: 9 January 2017
Reported: 16 February 2017
Recommendation: That bill be passed (some modification)
Wholesale ADSL service declaration inquiry 2016
ACCC
Discussion paper released: 4 July 2016
Submissions due: 29 July 2016
Final decision: 3 February 2017
2016
Regulation of Agriculture
Productivity Commission
Commenced: 20 November 2015
Draft report released: 21 July 2016
Final report due: 15 November 2016
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Competition Policy Review) Bill 2016 Exposure Draft
Treasury
Commenced: 5 September 2016
Submissions due: 30 September 2016 (misuse of market power)
Submissions due: 28 October 2016 (all other aspects of bill)
Review of the Part XIB telecommunications anti‐competitive conduct provisions: Discussion Paper ➤
Department of Communication and the Arts
Commenced: 5 September 2016
Submissions due: 30 September 2016
ACCC Draft Framework for misuse of market power guidelines
ACCC
Commenced: 5 September 2016
Submissions due: 3 October 2016
ACCC Draft Framework for concerted practices guidelines
ACCC
Commenced: 5 September 2016
Submissions due: 3 October 2016
Intellectual Property Arrangements
Productivity Commission
Announced 18 August 2015
Draft report released 29 April 2016
Final report handed to Government 23 Sept 2016
Terms of reference included consideration of 'the findings and recommendations of the Harper Competition Policy Review in the context of the Australian Government's response, including recommendations related to parallel import restrictions in the Copyright Act 1968 and the parallel importation defence under the Trade Marks Act s1995 '.
Options to Strengthen the Misuse of Market Power Laws
Treasury
Discussion paper released: 11 December 2015
Submissions due: 12 February 2016
Government announced it would support Harper Recommendations on 16 March 2016
ACCC inquiry into Eastern and Southern Australian whoesale gas prices
ACCC
Government directed 12 month public inquiry
Issues paper: 4 June 2015
Report released: 22 April 2016
2015
Competition Policy Review (Harper Review)
Independent
Announced: 'Root and Branch' Review of Competition Laws announced 4 December 2013
Final terms of reference and review panel announced 27 March 2014
Issues Paper released: 14 April 2014
Draft Report released: 22 September 2014
Final Report released: 31 March 2015
Consultation on final report: 31 March 2015
Government response: 24 November 2015
Inquiry into Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2014
Parliamentary committee
Private Members Bill: introduced by Senator Nick Xenophon in March 2014
Referred to Committee: 20 March
Final report released: 26 February 2015
(recommended against passage of the bill)
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Deregulatory and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Parliamentary committee
Bill introduced: 18 March 2015
Referred to Economics Legislation Committee: 25 March 2015
Submissions close: 21 April 2015
Report released: 13 May 2015
Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper
Government
Issues Paper released 6 February 2014
Green Paper released 20 October 2014
Submissions due 12 December 2014
White Paper released July 2015
Senate review of Food and Grocery Industry Code
Parliament
An inquiry into the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 - Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes - Food and Grocery) Regulation 2015
Commenced: 5 March 2015
Submissions closed: 13 March 2015
Report: 14 May 2015 (original report date of 31 March 2015 extended on 26 March 2015)
Australian Grain Networks ➤
Parliamentary Committee
Referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on 19 June 2014
Reported: 4 June 2015 (view report ➤) (original date of 3 December 2014 extended to 4 June 2015)
Terms of reference included consideration of 'competition constraints on grain transport, storage and handling services'
2014
ACCC draft immunity and cooperation policy and FAQ's consultation
Consultation opened 9 April 2014
Submissions due 7 May 2014.
New policy released 10 September 2014.
Independent cost-benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation (Vertigan report)
Independent
First report (Statutory review under section 152EOA of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010))
completed 30 June 2014 and tabled in Parliament on 16 July 2014
Second report (Independent cost-benefit analysis) released 27 August 2014
Third report (Market and Regulatory Report) released 1 October 2014
National Access Regime
Productivity Commission
Referred to the PC by Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Bradbury, in October 2012
Issues Paper released on 30 November 2012.
Submissions due on 8 February 2012
Draft report due May 2013
Final Report due October 2013
Final report released February 2014
Government response released: 24 November 2015
2011
The impacts of supermarket price decisions on the dairy industry
Parliamentary Committee
"Senate Inquiry into 'Milk Price Wars'"
Referred to Senate Economics Committee 10 February 2011. Submissions due 28 February
Report date: 15 April 2011 (extended to 20 April 2011).
Interim report released 20 April 2011.
Second interim report released 9 May 2011.
Final report presented to Senate on 3 November 2011.
Government response received February 2012.
Exposure Draft Bill - Competition and Consumer Amendment Bill (No.1) 2011
Parliamentary committee
Part of the Competitive and Sustainable Banking System Package.
Note, the bill (as subsequently introduced into Parliament) was considered as part of the House Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into the Competition and Consumer (Price Signalling) Amendment Bill 2010.
House Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into the Competition and Consumer (Price Signalling) Amendment Bill 2010
Parliamentary committee
Bill referred 23 November 2010
Inquiry announced 10 December 2010
Expanded inquiry (to include consideration of the Government's Competition and Consumer Amendment Bill (No.1) 2011) announced 18 May 2011.
Reported 22 June 2011.
Inquiry into the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Franklins decision (Metcash)
Senate Economics Committee
Reported February 2011
Competition within the Australian Banking Sector
Senate Economics Committee
Announced: 28 October 2010
Due to report: 31 March 2011 (extended)
Interim report released: 20 April 2011
Final report released: 6 May 2011
2009
Inquiry into the Trade Practices Amendment (Guaranteed Lowest Prices - Blacktown Amendment) Bill 2009
Senate Economics Committee
Report released 24 November 2009
(Geographic Price Discrimination)
Discussion Paper - Creeping Acquisitions (take 2)
Treasury
Closed for comment 12 June 2009. No report released
Discussion Paper - Meaning of 'Understanding' in the Trade Practices Act
Treasury
Submissions were due by 31 March 2009
No formal report followed.
Inquiry into the Trade Practices Amendment (Cartel Conduct and Other Measures) Bill 2008
Senate Economics Committee
Reported 26 February 2009
2008
Discussion Paper - Creeping Acquisitions
Treasury
Closed for comment 10 October 2008
No report released
Criminal Penalties for Serious Cartel Conduct - Draft legislation
Treasury
Including discussion paper - submissions available
Inquiry by Senate Economics Committee into the Trade Practices Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
Senate Economics Committee
Report available (relates to predatory pricing)
Inquiry into the Unit Pricing (Easy comparison of grocery prices) Bill 2008
Senate Economics Committee
Referred 17 June.
Reported by 2 September
Inquiry into the Trade Practices (Creeping Acquisitions) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]
Senate Standing Committee on Economics
Referred on 26 June 2008.
Reported on 26 August 2008.
ACCC Grocery Inquiry 2008
ACCC
Announced January 2008
Report finalised 31 July 2008.
2004
Working Party Report on Criminal Penalties for Cartel Behaviour
[Officials from Treasury, AG Dept, ACCC and CDPP]
Commenced 2004
Released publicly, 2010 following FOI inquiry
Senate Inquiry into the Effectiveness of the Trade Practices Act 1974 in protecting small business
Senate
Referred June 2003
Reported March 2004
2002
McKiernan Review
Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee
Inquiry into s 46 and s 50 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (May 2002)
Wilkinson Review
Independent
Review of the impact of Part IV of the Trade Practices Act 1974 on the recruitment and retention of medical practitioners in rural and regional Australia
November 2002
2001
Review of the National Access Regime
Productivity Commission
Review of the Prices Surveillance Act 1983
Productivity Commission
Hawker Committee
Competing Interests: is there balance?
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economic Finance and Public Administration
Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Annual Report 1999-2000
1999
Baird Report
Fair Market or Market Failure? A Review of Australia's Retailing Sector
Parliament
Report of the Joint Select Committee on the Retailing Sector
August 1999
Baird Committee Chair: Bruce Baird MP
Review of Sections 51(2) and 51(3) of the Trade Practices Act 1974
National Competition Council
Final Report, March 1999
1997
Cultivating Competition
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Financial Institutions and Public Administration
Inquiry into aspects of the National Competition Policy Reform Package
Reid Report
Finding a Balance: Towards Fair Trading in Australia
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources
1996
Merger Regulation: A review of the draft merger guidelines administered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Industry Commission
Report of the Industry Commission, June 1996
1993
Hilmer Review - National Competition Policy
Independent
National Competition Policy
Report by the Independent Committee of Inquiry
1991
Cooney Committee Report
Senate
Mergers, Monopolies and Acquisitions
Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
'Adequacy of the existing legislative controls in the Trade Practices Act over mergers and acquisitions'
December 1991
1989
Griffiths Committee Report 1989
Parliamentary
Mergers, Takeovers and Monopolies: Profiting from Competition?
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
May 1989
1984
Green Paper
The Trade Practices Act - Proposals for Change (Green Paper)
Government
Discussion paper released by Attorney General, Senator Gareth Evans QC (February 1984)
1979
Blunt Committee
Trade Practices Consultative Committee, Small business and the Trade Practices Act (December 1979)
Last updated: 24 August 2023