Hon Scott Morrison
Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia

Hon Paul Goldsmith
New Zealand Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

15 April 2016

New Zealand Commerce Commission cross-appointment to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison and New Zealand Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith welcome the cross-appointment of New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) Deputy Chair Susan Begg to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

“I am very pleased to appoint Susan Begg as an associate member of the ACCC under the cross-appointment arrangement with the NZCC,” Mr Morrison said.

“Ms Begg has acknowledged expertise in both competition and regulation and I am certain she will make a valuable contribution to the work of the ACCC,” Mr Morrison said.

“This appointment is an important affirmation of our ongoing Trans-Tasman cooperation on competition and consumer issues,” Mr Goldsmith said.

“The cross-appointment arrangement between the NZCC and the ACCC has enabled more consistent processes, reducing business compliance costs for those operating on both sides of the Tasman,” Mr Goldsmith added.

The cross-appointments at associate member level between the NZCC and ACCC began in 2010 to align the administration and enforcement of competition law to promote a Single Economic Market between Australia and New Zealand.

Ms Begg has been appointed until 16 June 2019 and joins NZCC Chair Dr Mark Berry as an associate member of the ACCC. ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court was cross-appointed to the NZCC last November and former ACCC Commissioner Dr Jill Walker was appointed as an NZCC member in December.

Background

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent statutory authority responsible for ensuring that individuals and businesses comply with a range of a range of legislation promoting competition, fair trading and regulating national infrastructure in Australia.

The New Zealand Commerce Commission is New Zealand’s independent competition authority and regulatory agency. The Commission is responsible for enforcing laws relating to competition, fair trading, and consumer credit contracts, and it has regulatory responsibilities in the electricity lines, gas pipelines, telecommunications, dairy and airport sectors.

Susan Begg is Deputy Chair of the Commerce Commission and has been a member since 2009. She is an economist, and director of the consultancy company Impetus Group Limited. Her previous roles include vice-president and head of the economic advisory unit of the investment banking division of Credit Suisse First Boston NZ Limited (and its predecessor companies) and manager of the macroeconomic policy section at the Treasury.

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