Geographic exemption variation inquiry 2011

The ACCC considers that all parties to the ACCC’s consultation process should be given an opportunity to consider, review and comment on confidential information provided to the ACCC in relation to the exemptions. The ACCC encourages providers of confidential information to establish confidentiality arrangements that allow other parties to view their confidential information.

A suggested confidentiality undertaking, which parties may wish to use as a basis for making appropriate confidentiality arrangements, is available. A version of the undertaking that was distributed on 19 September 2011 to parties to the ACCC’s previous consultation on exemptions has been amended to deal specifically with electronic records (see clause 7 of the suggested undertaking).

On 23 September 2011 Telstra provided the ACCC with a letter seeking a two week extension to make its submissions to the exemptions variation inquiry. The ACCC agreed to Telstra's request and extended the submission deadline for all parties.

Submissions on the issues paper were due by 14 October 2011.

Any questions on the consultation process for the inquiry should be directed to Kevin Cheung at kevin.cheung@accc.gov.au.

To assist it in assessing the impact of the exemptions, the ACCC wrote to Telstra and a number of access seekers on 18 August 2011 requesting market information relevant to the current state of competition in exempt and non-exempt areas.