Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Inquiry into aspects of the National Competition Policy Reform Package

The Committee tabled its report Cultivating competition in June 1997. Copies of the full report are available in PDF format (296KB) 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.®)

Transcripts of public hearings

09/10/95 Melbourne
11/10/95 Sydney
26/10/95 Canberra
10/11/95 Brisbane
23/11/95 Canberra
30/11/95 Canberra

Speeches

Government response to the Committee's report was tabled on 26 May 1998.

Table of contents of report: Cultivating competition

Foreword

Members of the Committee in the 38th Parliament

Members of the Committee in the 37th Parliament

Terms of Reference: 38th Parliament

Terms of Reference: 37th Parliament

Acronyms and abbreviations

List of recommendations

Public interest test
Community service obligations
Implications for the efficient delivery of services by local government
Related issues

Chapter One: Introduction

The policy
Inquiry into National Competition Policy
Structure of the report

Chapter Two: Public interest test

Introduction
Interpretation of 'public interest' in the CPA
Application of the 'test'
Competitive neutrality policy and principles
Competitive neutrality policy statements
Structural reform of public monopolies
Legislation review
Legislation review timetable
Process

Chapter Three: Community service obligations

Introduction
Interpretation of CSOs in the CPA
Definition
Identification of CSOs
Costing of CSOs
CSOs and welfare payments
Options for funding
Options for delivery
Reporting and monitoring
Overall conclusion

Chapter Four: Implications for efficient delivery of services by local government

Introduction
Scope of implications for local government
Clause 7 statements
Ongoing concerns
Anomalies in exemptions of business activities from the Trade Practices Act
Practicalities of 'public interest' testing
Significant business activities
Taxes and tax equivalents
Community service obligations
Safeguards for rural and remote communities
Competition Payments and the status of Financial Assistance Grants
Competitive tendering
Monitoring performance

Chapter Five: Related issues

Introduction
National Competition Council
Competition Payments and Financial Assistance Grants
Public education
Overall assessment

Appendix 1: List of submissions

Appendix 2: List of exhibits

Appendix 3: List of hearings and witnesses

Appendix 4: Estimated benefits of Hilmer and related reforms (per cent of GDP)

Appendix 5: Competition policy documents

Competitive neutrality statements
Legislation review statements
Local government statements
Community service obligations

Speeches

• Speech presented by Mr D Hawker MP (Chairman) to launch the publication National competition policy and the professions, a publication prepared by the Australian Council of the Professions, the Institution of Engineers' Australia, the Australian Veterinary Association, the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Australian Physiotheraphy Association. Canberra, the Institution of Engineers' Australia, 17 November 1997. A media release was issued by the Chairman discussing the launch and his speech.
• Paper presented by Mr D Hawker MP (Chairman) to Public interest in the National Competition Policy conference, Melbourne, 24 July 1997, sponsored by the Public Sector Research Centre, University of NSW.
• Tabling speech: Mr G Wilton MP (Deputy Chairman), 23 June 1997
• Tabling speech: Mr D Hawker MP (Chairman), 23 June 1997

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