Part one: Year in review

Summary of major achievements

unit pricing—campaign alerting consumers to the price comparison benefits
telecommunications advertising—focused on poor advertising practice in mobile premium services, phone cards, internet speeds and service bundling
component pricing—education campaign for business on their obligation to provide a clear total price of goods and services, followed by compliance activities and legal action
scams—released the inaugural scams report and met new challenges in proliferation; conducted successful cross-border enforcement cases
consumer warranties and refunds—reinvigorated the campaign to ensure business and consumers know their rights and responsibilities
product safety—oversaw harmonisation of 177 product safety standards and bans into 57 regulations; launched the Product Safety Australia and Recalls websites; established a national emerging hazard identification clearing house
recalls—undertook a major review of the effectiveness of the consumer product safety recall system and identified reforms
communication—started using Twitter, YouTube and blogging.

grocery covenants—secured undertakings from a number of supermarket operators that they would not enforce restrictive covenants contained in retail lease agreements
took legal action under the Franchising Code of Conduct
secured Federal Court findings that Allphones and Seal-a-Fridge had engaged in unconscionable conduct against franchisees—with $3 million to be distributed among Allphones franchisees by way of compensation
made decisions on a wide range of authorisations, including the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct (improving transparency in dealings between medical practitioners and pharmaceutical companies) and arrangements addressing ship queues at Port Waratah
undertook international cartel investigations and cases in marine hose, military training systems and air freight.

made revenue price determinations for three electricity distribution businesses and access arrangement decisions for three gas distribution businesses
applied national incentive schemes for electricity distribution businesses in respect of demand management, service standards and efficiency benefit sharing.

issued guidance on price-related terms of access

Australian Competition Tribunal upheld the ACCC decision in relation to the pricing of the unconditioned local loop.

delivered water rules on time (major reform for efficiency and competition in the Murray–Darling Basin)
commenced enforcement into breaches of the Water Market Rules 2009 and the Water Charge (Termination Fees) Rules 2009.

post—considered two Australia Post applications to increase prices for monopoly letter services
wheat export arrangements—unlocked constraints at ports to enhance export and trade.