Government response to the Harper Competition Law review

The Federal Government released its response to the
Harper Competition Law review on 24 November 2015.

The Federal Government intends implement the majority of the Harper Review's recommendations. It notes that many of the recommendations are in areas of State responsibility and so it will work closely with the States to advance the reforms.

Of particular interest to the State is the Federal Government’s support for the recommendation to amend the Competition and Consumer Act to remove the State’s exemption from the Act except to the extent that it is carrying on a business.  This will have a significant impact on Government procurement practices.

The Federal Government intends to consult further with the States about this issue.

Likewise, further consultation will be conducted on the options to reform the misuse of market power provisions. You can read previous articles/legal updates about the Harper Review here.