About the Commission

In 1995, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a number of reforms to enable and encourage competition – the National Competition Policy.

A major part of these reforms has been to allow privately-owned businesses to compete with the Government-owned businesses on an equal footing, encouraging improvement in the business practices of Government-owned businesses and value for money for the taxpayer. Where government businesses retain a market monopoly, in instances where the benefits to the community as a whole outweigh the costs and the restrictions that are needed to attain the benefits, price and performance monitoring has been introduced to promote competitive-like outcomes.

To facilitate and regulate this, the Utilities Commission was established on 17 March 2000, on the commencement of the Utilities Commission Act 2000. The object of the Act is:

"to create an economic regulatory framework for regulated industries that promotes and safeguards competition and fair and efficient market conduct or, in the absence of a competitive market, that promotes the simulation of competitive market conduct and the prevention of the misuse of monopoly power."

The Commission is a body corporate, constituted by the Utilities Commissioner. The legislation provides scope for the appointment of Associate Utilities Commissioners, although none have been appointed at this point in time.

Alan Tregilgas was appointed Utilities Commissioner for a four year term commencing on 1 April 2000 and subsequently re-appointed for a further five years from 1 April 2004. In this role, he is also an Associate Member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and a member of the Utility Regulators’ Forum. Mr Tregilgas performs the role of Utilities Commissioner part time.

The staff comprises employees, within the meaning of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act assigned to assist the Commission.

The Commission also engages the services of consultants on a range of issues.