For regulated industries

The ACCC and AER have roles in promoting competition in network industries: communications, energy, water, post and transport.

Prices oversight and regulatory arrangements to secure third–party access to ‘essential’ services are necessary to curb the market power of monopoly infrastructure. Administering access regimes for monopoly infrastructure assets is a major area of regulation.

The regulatory area of the ACCC is also involved in monitoring and inquiring into prices of selected goods and services.  The products and sectors monitored are diverse. Monitoring the national electricity market (NEM) is a responsibility of the AER. In addition, the AER has a compliance and enforcement role in the NEM. The Communications Group and the Water branch also have industry specific enforcement roles. Further, the new area of ACCC regulation, water, has a rule development role.