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Thursday, 1 December 2016 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 17<br />
In its final report, the Harper review concluded that the current section 46 fails to adequately prevent the misuse<br />
<strong>of</strong> market power and is not reliably enforceable, for two key reasons.<br />
Firstly, the current section 46 requires that a corporation 'take advantage' <strong>of</strong> its substantial market power. This<br />
is a poor test for distinguishing competitive from anticompetitive conduct. It permits a corporation with<br />
substantial market power to engage in highly anticompetitive conduct, merely because a corporation without<br />
substantial market power could commercially engage in the same conduct. The test does not recognise that<br />
conduct that is not anticompetitive when undertaken by a corporation that does not have market power can be<br />
anticompetitive when undertaken by a firm that does. This leaves a significant loophole in section 46.<br />
Secondly, the current section 46 only prohibits conduct if the corporation acted with the purpose <strong>of</strong> damaging<br />
an actual or potential competitor. The Harper review found this focus to be inconsistent with the overriding policy<br />
objective <strong>of</strong> the act, which is to protect competition and not individual competitors. The reforms in this bill<br />
recognise that it is the competitive process that drives corporations to supply better goods and services and <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
lower prices to consumers, and it is the competitive process that our competition laws need to protect.<br />
The failure <strong>of</strong> section 46 to adequately prevent the misuse <strong>of</strong> market power allows anticompetitive conduct to<br />
slow the entry and expansion <strong>of</strong> new and innovative firms, delays the entry <strong>of</strong> new technologies into Australia and<br />
impedes economic growth in the long term.<br />
The Harper review recommended amending section 46 to address these problems and strengthen the misuse <strong>of</strong><br />
market power provision, by refocusing on conduct with the purpose, effect or likely effect <strong>of</strong> substantially<br />
lessening competition. The government acknowledged the importance <strong>of</strong> this issue for businesses and consumers,<br />
and conducted a lengthy consultation process on a range <strong>of</strong> alternatives before concluding that the<br />
recommendation <strong>of</strong> the Harper review represented the best option to reform the law.<br />
As amended, section 46 will prohibit corporations with substantial market power from engaging in conduct that<br />
has the purpose, effect or likely effect <strong>of</strong> substantially lessening competition in markets in which they directly or<br />
indirectly participate.<br />
The amendment is specifically designed to minimise any uncertainty involved with changing the law, by using<br />
existing competition law concepts such as 'substantially lessening competition' and by providing anticompetitive<br />
and procompetitive factors to guide consideration <strong>of</strong> the purpose, effect or likely effect <strong>of</strong> conduct.<br />
As a result <strong>of</strong> this reform, section 46 will better target anticompetitive conduct and better support<br />
procompetitive conduct. Section 46 will be more reliably enforceable and promote strong competition in<br />
Australian markets, benefiting both consumers and the economy.<br />
This reform is an important step to ensure Australia has the best possible competition framework to support<br />
innovation, enhance competition and boost economic growth and jobs. It is a key part <strong>of</strong> the government's<br />
response to the Harper review, which is all about increasing choice and delivering better services for consumers.<br />
An effective misuse <strong>of</strong> market power provision is an important and necessary part <strong>of</strong> competition law,<br />
particularly for Australia's more than two million small businesses which make up more than 97 per cent <strong>of</strong> all<br />
businesses.<br />
While there are some in this chamber who would prefer to keep the current drafting <strong>of</strong> section 46 and not see<br />
Australian businesses able to compete on a level playing field, this government recognises that reforming<br />
competition law is one <strong>of</strong> the best options we have to lift long-term productivity growth and generate economic<br />
benefits that can be shared by everyone.<br />
The reforms in this bill will more effectively focus section 46 on the long-term interests <strong>of</strong> consumers,<br />
improving the law's clarity, effectiveness and force. They will provide another tool for regulators to ensure<br />
Australian businesses can flourish; new and innovative firms can enter new markets and expand; new<br />
technologies can be introduced into Australia; and consumers can receive the best quality products at the lowest<br />
price.<br />
Most importantly, this reform will ensure the focus <strong>of</strong> the law is on protecting the competitive process to the<br />
benefit <strong>of</strong> consumers; it is not about protecting individual competitors or a particular group <strong>of</strong> businesses.<br />
These amendments will make markets work better for the benefit <strong>of</strong> all Australians and help to lift our longterm<br />
productivity growth. They will ensure that all business can compete on a level playing field, rewarding<br />
innovative and dynamic businesses that provide the best services at the lowest cost. This will benefit households<br />
by giving them more choice and better value products and services.<br />
Schedule 2 to this bill makes consequential amendments to repeal the telecommunications-specific anticompetitive<br />
conduct laws in divisions 2 and 3 <strong>of</strong> the act. With the amendment <strong>of</strong> section 46 and the development<br />
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