National Competition Council Appointment

The Treasurer, Mr Peter Costello, today announced the appointment of Dr Paul Moy as a Councillor for the National Competition Council. The appointment is on a part-time basis until November 2000.

Dr Moy is an economist who has held a number of senior public service positions and, in 1994, was appointed Director of Investment Banking for Fay Richwhite Australia Ltd.

Background

The National Competition Council was created in November 1995. Its core statutory functions are to provide advice on access to significant infrastructure services, under The Trade Practices Act 1974, and on whether State and Territory government businesses should be subject to prices surveillance by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, under the Prices Surveillance Act 1983.

The Council also has a role in providing competition policy advice under the three National Competition Policy Agreements signed by all Australian Governments in April 1995. This includes:

• providing advice to the Commonwealth where it is considering overriding State or Territory exceptions to the Trade Practices Act;
• other work on competition policy as agreed by a majority of the Council’s stakeholder governments; and
• assessing whether States and Territories have met the conditions necessary to receive National Competition Policy Payments from the Commonwealth.

The Council consists of a President and four Councillors – who are qualified by virtue of their knowledge of, or experience in, industry, commerce, economics, law, consumer protection or public administration. Members serve on a part-time basis, as required, for a term of up to 5 years.

In addition to this new appointment, the Council comprises: