Ian Johnston wrote:

> |> I'm also concerned any proposal for price regulation.
> |>
> |> The thrust of Commonwealth Government policy for the last
> |> two decades or longer has been to eliminate and prohibit
> |> price regulation in markets.  Any proposals for price
> |> regulation would be viewed in many quarters as
> |> anti-competitive and, therefore, would attract the ACCC's attention.
>
> I find it amusing given the Commonwealth Government continues to
> enter into agreements that in effect bring about price regulation, but
> that is another issue and nothing to do with this list.
>
> Perhaps the above may be a good reason to not go down the path of
> opening up the secondary market then.  Too many worms in the can.
>
> Darryl (Dassa) Lynch

I'm aware of price oversight / regulation of public and private monopolies
and businesses that operate in markets with natural monopoly characteristics
or where competition is weak, eg AusRegistry, airport operators, Australia
Post and Telstra.  Such entities may have the ability to engage in
monopolistic pricing behaviour - restrict output and charge higher prices.
Clearly, some form of price oversight of such entities has been justified in
the public interest, notably consumer interest.

In the case of Telstra, prices are set by it having regard to the price
control arrangements applied by the Commonwelayh Government.

Ian Johnston