NO.102

Productivity Commission Report On Telecommunications Competition Regulation

The Government is today releasing the Report of the Productivity Commission

inquiry into telecommunications competition regulation.

The Government welcomes the report, which provides an informative and rigorous

discussion of key issues in telecommunications competition regulation. The report

contains a number of recommendations covering a range of important telecommunications

issues. Those issues include the retention and operation of the telecommunications

specific anti-competitive conduct legislation, the retention, scope and operation

of a third party access regime for telecommunications, and issues associated

with pay TV and regional telecommunications. The Government referred the pay

TV and regional telecommunication issues to the Commission based on a recommendation

of the Telecommunications Services Inquiry.

The Government is releasing the report now in recognition of the public and

industry interest in these issues. The Government will respond to the Commission’s

recommendations in due course.

Copies of the report are available from Government Info Shops, or may be downloaded

from the Productivity Commission’s website at www.pc.gov.au.

MELBOURNE

21 December 2001

Contacts: David Alexander

02 6277 7340