Amends the Commerce Act 1986, Telecommunications Act 2001, and Grocery Industry Competition Act 2023 to overhaul the Commerce Commission's governance, giving effect to the Government's response to the Rebstock review. A new board becomes the governing body and must delegate the Commission's statutorily independent functions to regulatory committees that include commissioners drawn from a new expert panel. It is still before Parliament.
This bill amends the Commerce Act 1986, the Telecommunications Act 2001, and the Grocery Industry Competition Act 2023 with the single broad policy of enhancing the Commerce Commission's governance, decision-making, and mandate so it can carry out its functions more efficiently and effectively. It gives effect to the Government's response to an independent review of the Commission led by Dame Paula Rebstock, restructuring the Commission with a governing board, regulatory committees, and specified objectives, and phasing out the separate Telecommunications and Grocery Commissioners.
Supporters argue that a modern board-and-committee structure clarifies accountability and lets the regulator concentrate expertise where it is most needed. Others may question whether folding the specialist telecommunications and grocery roles into a general structure risks losing focus on those sectors, and will look at how the new objectives shape the Commission's priorities in practice.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.