4 November 2004

Commerce Commission fees to be reviewed

Commerce Minister Margaret Wilson today announced a review of Commerce Commission fees.

A discussion document on the review has been released today and relates to fees charged for authorisations and clearances under the Commerce Act. Those seeking clearance or authorisation of potentially anti-competitive practices pay fees to the Commerce Commission to have their applications heard.

“This is the first time the fees have been reviewed since their establishment in 1990," Margaret Wilson said. "There is now almost always a substantial discrepancy between fees charged and the actual cost incurred by the Commerce Commission.

“The key issue is how the burden of funding for these applications should be shared between private users and the Crown. We need to balance taxpayer funding with what those who benefit privately pay, while ensuring an accessible clearance/authorisation regime.

"Commerce Commission authorisations and clearances provide a way for businesses to establish whether proposed arrangements comply with the Commerce Act, without attracting liability. Setting fees at an appropriate, non-deterring level helps us provide a robust competition regime."

The Ministry of Economic Development will consider submissions before making recommendations to the government on any possible legislative reform.

The discussion paper is available on the Ministry of Economic Development website www.med.govt.nz. Submissions on the paper should be sent to:

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>