On 30 July 2008, the ACCC accepted ARTC’s interstate rail Access undertaking (ARTC’s undertaking).
ARTC’s undertaking sets out the principles and processes under which ARTC, as an infrastructure provider of rail, will be obliged to provide access to businesses wishing to run trains on ARTC’s interstate rail network. The interstate rail network covers the mainline standard gauge track linking Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, Adelaide, Wolseley and Crystal Brook in South Australia, Melbourne and Wodonga in Victoria and Broken Hill, Cootamundra, Albury, Macarthur, Moss Vale, Unanderra, Newcastle (to the Queensland border) and Parkes in New South Wales (NSW).
Variation applications and compliance monitoring under the 2008 Interstate Access Undertaking
The ACCC has a role in monitoring ARTC's compliance with the accepted 2008 IAU and assessing any applications by ARTC to vary the IAU under section 44ZZA(7) of the Act. See the links below for details on these processes and relevant documentation.
Prior to accepting ARTC's Interstate access undertaking application, the ACCC engaged in an extensive assessment process including public consultation.
The ACCC had regard to ARTC’s Undertaking application and other information provided to the ACCC, submissions made on the June and December undertakings, including responses to the Draft Decision, consultants engaged by the ACCC to review the efficiency of ARTC’s operating and maintenance expenditure, cost allocation methodology and proposed valuation of network assets, and the ACCC’s own research. The history of the ACCC’s assessment process is detailed at the link below.
