Commissioner of Trade Practices
1967 – 1 October 1974
Statutory office that kept the register of restrictive trade agreements and practices and investigated them under the first Commonwealth restrictive trade practices legislation, referring cases to the Trade Practices Tribunal.
How it came into existence
Created under the Trade Practices Act 1965, the first Commonwealth competition law, administered in the Attorney-General's portfolio; the first commissioner, Ron Bannerman, took office in 1967. The function was new to the Commonwealth.
Legislation: Trade Practices Act 1965; Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1971
Changes during its life
- 1971After the High Court's Concrete Pipes decision struck down much of the 1965 Act, the office continued under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1971.
How it ended
Abolished when the Trade Practices Act 1974 came into force on 1 October 1974; its register and enforcement role passed to the new Trade Practices Commission.
- Restrictive trade practices investigation and enforcement
- Register of trade agreements
Main functions
- Registration of restrictive trade agreements
- Investigation of examinable restrictive practices
- Negotiation with parties to abandon anti-competitive arrangements
- Bringing proceedings before the Trade Practices Tribunal
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Attorney-General's Department.
Lineage
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Sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.