Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The NCC is, as I said in answer to the primary question, an independent regulatory statutory agency established by section 29A of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. It comprises a president and two councillors appointed by the Governor-General. The NCC's role in relation to the National Access Regime is to make recommendations to the Treasurer in relation to applications for declaration of services. It does not have a decision-making role; the decision-maker is the Treasurer.

While the NCC has had an arrangement since 2014 whereby it utilises staffing resources and corporate services from the ACCC, there are strict protocols in place to ensure that the agencies operate separately and independently and to protect confidential information. The arrangements also ensure that there is transparency in decision-making and perceived or actual conflicts of interest are avoided. In addition, the NCC engages in an extensive and transparent public consultation process before making any recommendations to the Treasurer in relation to the— (Time expired)