ACCC/AER Regulatory Conference

Chair: Gina Cass-Gottlieb

Jenny Wilkinson PSM, Secretary to the Treasury

Crisis management, shocks and cross-sectoral resilience: regulators, are you ready?

As infrastructure systems become increasingly interconnected, they are more vulnerable to complex shocks—from climate events and cyber incidents to supply-chain disruption and infrastructure failure. How resilient are essential network services, and what role should regulators play?

Chair: Angela Woo, General Manager, Gas Markets, ACCC

Keynote presentation and speaker:

Vera Eiró, CEO and President of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (ERSAR), President of the Association of European Water Regulators (WAREG) and Professor of Public Law at NOVA School of Law

Speakers:

• Anna Brakey, Commissioner, ACCC
• Nina Davidson, Deputy Director-General - Intelligence, Office of National Intelligence
• Janine Young, Ombudsman, Energy and Water Ombudsman of NSW

Energy security: how to navigate a shifting world?

The energy trilemma requires governments to balance trade-offs between secure supply, affordability and climate goals. With conflict in the Middle East disrupting energy supply chains and the renewable energy transition reshaping the energy mix, how are these trade-offs changing – and what should we do in response?

Chair: Jarrod Ball, Board Member, AER

Speakers:

• Chua Shun Loong, Assistant Chief Executive for Energy Policy, Singapore’s Energy Market Authority
• Anthea Harris, Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
• Kerry Schott AO, Chair, Carbon Market Institute
• Tony Wood, Senior Fellow, Grattan Institute

Safety by design: how to protect consumers who may be affected by family violence?

Utilities are essential services, yet they can be exploited by perpetrators of family violence to cause harm. What can regulators, policy makers and regulated businesses across sectors do to promote better community and consumer outcomes?

Chair: Kate Symons, Board Member, AER

Speakers:

• Gerard Brody, Chairperson, Essential Services Commission Victoria
• David Coombe, General Manager Customer, Community and Engagement, SA Water
• Catherine Fitzpatrick, CEO & Founder, Flequity Ventures
• Ciara Sterling, CEO, Thriving Communities Australia

Safety by design slides ( PDF 524.54 KB )

Global approaches to digital competition regulation: are digital platforms too big to play fair?

Regulation is evolving rapidly as jurisdictions around the world adopt different approaches to addressing competition concerns in the digital economy. This session will explore global developments in digital competition regulation, examining the strengths and challenges of ex post and ex ante approaches, the effectiveness of regulatory remedies, and what these lessons mean for the future.

Chair: Kate Reader, General Manager, Digital Identity, ACCC

Keynote presentation and speaker:

Howard Shelanski, Professor of Law at Georgetown University and Co-head of Davis Polk's Antitrust & Competition practice

Speakers:

• Friso Bostoen, Assistant Professor of Competition Law and Digital Regulation, Tilburg University
• Kathryn McMahon, Associate Professor of Competition Law, University of Warwick

Electricity networks in contestable markets: what is the right policy setting?

The boundary between monopoly service provision and contestable markets is being challenged as the energy system becomes more decentralised and complex. What combination of market mechanisms, regulatory oversight and coordination is most likely to deliver efficient, reliable and affordable outcomes for consumers over the long-term?

Chair: Stephanie Jolly, Executive General Manager, Consumers & Markets, AER

Speakers:

• Stephanie Bashir, Chief Executive Officer, Nexa Advisory
• Marc England, Chief Executive Officer, Ausgrid
• Tim Jordan, Commissioner, Australian Energy Market Commission
• Justin Oliver, Deputy Chair, AER

Intelligent systems, uncertain rules: what we can — and can't — see in AI-driven markets

AI is increasingly being woven into the fabric of markets across the economy, straining competition law assumptions about human decision-making, identifiable agreements, and observable conduct. What is needed to make AI systems safe for consumers and markets alike?

Chair: Ian Oppermann, Commissioner, ACCC

Speakers:

• Ranil Boteju, Chief AI Officer, Commonwealth Bank
• Lee Hickin, Executive Director of the Australian National AI Centre
• Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW Sydney

Economic resilience and the inter-generational bargain.

Is it possible to regulate for future generations’ prosperity? Can regulatory frameworks encourage investment, innovation and economic resilience while balancing the trade-offs?

Chair: Catriona Lowe, Deputy Chair, ACCC

Keynote presentation: Danielle Wood, Chair, Productivity Commission

Danielle Wood's presentation ( PDF 396.55 KB )

Speakers:

• Vera Eiró, CEO and President of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (ERSAR), President of the Association of European Water Regulators (WAREG) and Professor of Public Law at NOVA School of Law
• Amy Auster, CEO, Policy Institute Australia

Space, spectrum and statutes: regulating amid technological disruption

What should monopoly network regulation look like when advancements in technology threaten monopoly status? With a focus on the rapid deployment and uptake of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband services, we will hear regulator, consumer, industry and analyst perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for regulation and consumer outcomes.

Chair: Nicole Ross, Executive General Manager, Infrastructure, ACCC

Speakers:

• Luke Coleman, CEO, Australian Telecommunications Alliance
• Daniel Featherstone, Principal Research Fellow, First Nations Digital Inclusion Research, RMIT University
• Tristan Gilbertson, Telecommunications Commissioner, New Zealand Commerce Commission
• Affandy Johan, Industry Analyst, Ookla Research

Affandy Johan's presentation ( PDF 1.14 MB )

Data centres: how to deliver the gain without pain?

A tidal wave of investment in data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure is reshaping economies around the world. How can we capture the benefits and manage the risks?

Chair: Lynne Gallagher, Board Member, AER

Speakers:

• Ezra Beeman, Managing Director, Energeia
• Siti Safinah binti Salleh, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Commission (Suruhanjaya Tenaga), Malaysia
• Linda McGrath, Division Head, National Energy Transformation Division, Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
• Darren Cleary, Managing Director, Sydney Water

The Great Debate

AI can replace everyone on this panel.

Moderator: Luke Woodward, Commissioner, ACCC

Speakers:

• Simon Cooke, Partner, Mallesons
• ChatGPT
• Louise Klamka, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin
• Emma Ringland, Head of Regulation and Investments, Endeavour Energy
• Adam Suckling, Deputy Chair, Australian Communications and Media Authority
• Dale Yeats, Partner, HoustonKemp