Australian Capital Territory Numbered Acts Australian Capital Territory Numbered ActsAn Act to make provision for the regulation of third party access to natural gas pipeline systems, and for related purposes
The Council of Australian Governments agreed, in February 1994, to general principles of competition policy reform to enable third parties, in particular circumstances, to gain access to essential facilities.
The Council of Australian Governments, as part of that commitment to reform, agreed to more specific proposals for the development of free and fair trade in natural gas.
The Commonwealth, the States of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory agreed in November 1997 to the enactment of legislation in the Commonwealth and those States and Territories so that a uniform national framework applies for third party access to all gas pipelines that—
(a) facilitates the development and operation of a national market for natural gas;
(b) prevents abuse of monopoly power;
(c) promotes a competitive market for natural gas in which customers may choose suppliers, including producers, retailers and traders;
(d) provides rights of access to natural gas pipelines on conditions that are fair and reasonable for the owners and operators of gas transmission and distribution pipelines and persons wishing to use the services of those pipelines; and
(e) provides for resolution of disputes.