Seeking feedback to improve competition in New Zealand

About the consultation

The Government is reviewing the Commerce Act 1986 to ensure our competition settings remain fit for purpose.

The aim of this review is to promote competition to help deliver the Government’s objectives of lifting productivity and economic growth to increase opportunities and prosperity for all New Zealanders.

What we are seeking feedback on

The consultation discussion paper focuses on 3 topics:

1. Reviewing the merger control regime. Ensuring the merger regime remains fit for purpose, by reviewing the tools available to the Commerce Commission to detect and take action against harmful mergers while also allowing for beneficial mergers that are in the best interest of consumers.
2. Modernising tools to address anti-competitive conduct. Ensuring the Commerce Commission has up-to-date tools to address anti-competitive collusion between firms, while ensuring that if firms want to cooperate for the right reason, they can do so with confidence. 
3. A potential new industry rule-making power to promote competition. Exploring whether industry codes or rules could be a flexible and efficient tool to address competition issues in concentrated sectors.

Relevant documents