Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The bill includes provisions in proposed 577A for the ACCC to scrutinise and approve the competitive impacts of the agreement between Telstra and NBN Co. Specifically the ACCC will consider the competitive impacts of the Telstra and NBN Co. arrangements as part of its scrutiny of Telstra’s structural separation undertaking. If the ACCC accepts the undertaking then the bill authorises the entering into the agreement and associated conduct for the purposes of trade practices law as set out in section 51 of the Trade Practices Act. As I think I have said, this is entirely appropriate because it removes any need for a separate authorisation inquiry.