The Government has identified a range of problems for businesses looking to collaborate. These include gaps in the framework for merger control, limitations in enforcement tools, and delays and unnecessary costs and complexity in supporting pro-competitive collaboration.

The Commerce (Promoting Competition and Other Matters) Amendment Bill would introduce a new regime with the aim of better supporting beneficial collaboration between businesses. It would allow businesses to tell the Commerce Commission what they plan to do, and proceed unless the commission objects. This would be faster and more cost-effective than formal clearance or authorisation.

The bill also seeks to:

• empower the commission to grant class exemptions for categories of low-risk conduct
• streamline the cartel clearance process
• provide greater flexibility for collaborative arrangements that involve changing participants
• enable the High Court to order firms to take steps to restore competition following a breach of the Commerce Act
• enhance protections for confidential information

Tell the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by 11.59pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
For more details about the bill:

• Read the full content of the bill
• Get more details about the bill
• What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?

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