What it does
The Queensland Competition Authority Act 1997 (Qld) establishes the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) as the State's principal economic regulator for monopoly infrastructure and business activities. It creates three parallel regulatory frameworks within a single statute: a monopoly pricing regime (Part 3), a competitive neutrality regime (Part 4), and an access to services regime (Part 5). It also contains separate provisions for water pricing (Part 5A) and governs the QCA's own governance, investigative powers, conduct of mediations and arbitrations, and enforcement.
The Act commences from 1 July 1997 for Parts 3 and 4, with Part 5 commencing on the same date. It has been amended extensively, with significant changes for local government competitive neutrality, water pricing, electricity and gas distribution network codes, and the current restructured form of the competitive neutrality provisions.