Understand the Federal Government’s forthcoming Competition Review and how you can make it work for consumers.
After the success of our twin events held in Melbourne and Sydney on policy delivery in the new political landscape, CFA is pleased to announce another comprehensive and timely part-day workshop for consumer advocates around the country.
In response to the impending federal review of competition policy CFA has put together a program entitled 2014 Competition Review: Sharpening the Consumer Focus to give consumer organisations and advocates the opportunity to learn more about how this might effect their work. The aim of Sharpening the Consumer Focus is to assist consumer advocates in participating in the review through consultations, submissions and other mechanisms.
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2014 Competition Review: Sharpening the Consumer Focus
Date and time: 12.30 – 4.30pm Wednesday 21 May, 2014
Location: ACCC Offices, Elizabeth St, Melbourne.
Additional locations: Video-conferencing is available from the following ACCC offices: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin and Sydney.
Cost: None. Travel assistance is available for CFA members, see below.
RSVP: to info@consumersfederation.org.au before Monday 19 May, 5pm.
About the workshop:
- This event will provide you with direct access to the complete Competition Policy Review panel, including Prof Ian Harper, Chair, who will provide a presentation and take questions on the process;
- Provide you with access to people with high levels of expertise on competition policy, and a good understanding of the impacts of competition policy on consumers, including an ACCC representative;
- Help you to identify issues that will arise for consumers in the Competition Policy Review;
- Provide you with an opportunity to talk with other consumer organisations and advocates about concerns and issues that could be addressed in formal submissions to the Review;
- Increase the public discussion about the consumer impacts of competition policy and any need for reform.
For more information on the Competition Review, including an issues paper and fact sheets, please visit competitionpolicyreview.gov.au
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Competition Review Panel members
Professor Ian Harper is the Chair of the Competition Review Panel. Professor Harper is a Partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Director of Deloitte Access Economics Pty Ltd and an Emeritus Professor of the University of Melbourne. Professor Harper is an economist whose experience spans academia, government and advising business. He was a member of the 1996-97 Financial Systems Inquiry (the Wallis Inquiry) and between 2005 and 2009 was inaugural Chairman of the Australian Fair Pay Commission.
Mr Peter Anderson is a member of the Competition Review Panel and a national business leader and public policy specialist in national and international affairs. He is also a former legal practitioner and educator to small businesses, as well as a senior adviser to governments, including on trade practices. Mr Anderson recently stepped down from the position of Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Ms Su McCluskey is a member of the Competition Review Panel and the Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Australia Institute, an independent policy think tank and research organisation which seeks to achieve a vibrant and sustainable future for regional Australia. Ms McCluskey’s experience spans senior public sector roles, including Executive Director of the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
Mr Michael O’Bryan is a member of the Competition Review Panel and Queen’s Counsel at the Victorian Bar. Mr O’Bryan has practised extensively in the area of competition law, previously as a partner of the law firm Minter Ellison and currently as a barrister. Mr O’Bryan is a member and past chairman of the Competition and Consumer Committee of the Law Council of Australia.
Expert speakers
Mr Alan Kirkland is the CEO of CHOICE. Previously, Alan held senior management roles with the Australian Law Reform Commission, Legal Aid NSW and the NSW Council of Social Service. He has worked closely with federal, state and territory governments, industry peak bodies as well as private and public stakeholder groups. His work has spanned policy development, change management and public engagement projects.
Ms Alexandra Merrett is an independent lawyer specialising in competition and consumer law. She is also a long-standing Senior Fellow at the Melbourne Law School, teaching a range of competition law subjects.
Ms Rhonda Smith is a Senior Lecturer in the Economics Department at the University of Melbourne where she teaches in the Faculty of Business and Economics and in the Law School. She also provides consulting services in relation to competition and consumer issues and has written extensively on both.
A representative of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is yet to be named.
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Travel Assistance
For those who wish to attend, but have financial constraints, CFA may be able to offer some assistance with travel costs (up to 50% of the best available return economy airfare to Melbourne). This will be on a first come, first served basis, so please contact us as soon as possible if you would like to request this assistance.