Established in 1995 by the Australian Parliament to protect the rights of consumers and business, the ACCC is Australia's peak consumer protection and competition agency. It is an independent statutory authority and is the only national agency dealing with competition matters.
Our role is to promote vigorous and lawful competition, to encourage fair business dealings and to protect consumers from misleading and deceptive conduct.
We do this not only because the Trade Practices Act 1974 requires us to, but also because we believe that competition is crucial to the economic well being of Australia and quality of life for all its citizens.
Almost every business-to-business or business-to-consumer transaction in Australia is in some way affected by the Trade Practices Act and, as a consequence, potentially subject to scrutiny by the ACCC. We analyse and regulate markets, assess major mergers and acquisitions, and regulate national infrastructure service markets and other markets where competition is restricted.
The Australian Energy Regulator is a separate legal entity but a constituent part of the ACCC. The AER is responsible for the economic regulation of the wholesale electricity market and electricity transmission networks in the National Electricity Market (NEM) and enforcement of the National Electricity Law and National Electricity Rules.
The AER will also be responsible for the economic regulation of gas transmission networks and enforcing the gas access code in all jurisdictions except Western Australia.
The Australian Energy Market Agreement of June 2004 establishes that future powers of the AER will include responsibility for the economic regulation of both NEM and gas distribution networks (other than retail pricing) following the development of an agreed national framework.
All AER staff are employed as ACCC staff and are subject to the same employment conditions. They will be involved in all ACCC training activities.
Over 600 full-time staff are employed by the ACCC. While our national office is in Canberra, we also have offices in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Townsville, Brisbane and Sydney. Canberra and Melbourne are the largest of these offices.
Structure
The ACCC is made up of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, full-time commissioners and part-time or associate commissioners, some of whom are ex-officio appointments from state or territory regulatory agencies.
There are a number different divisions and branches in the ACCC and graduates may work in all of these areas.
Adjudication
Australian Energy Regulator
Compliance strategies
Information, research and analysis
Enforcement & coordination
Legal group
Mergers and asset sales
Policy and liaison
Communications
Transport and prices oversight
Water
Staff and graduates work across a range of offices and are often called upon to work between branches and divisions.
Further information about the role and responsibilities of the ACCC can be found on the ACCC website.
