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• Gas Control Inquiry

• Discussion Paper
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• RIS/BCCS
• Ministerial Briefing
• Submissions on Final Report
• Final Report
• CC Consultant Reports
• Media Statements

On 2 December 2004, the Minister of Energy published the Commerce Commission's Final Gas Control Inquiry Report. The report is in response to a request from the Minister of Energy for the Commission to report on whether or not an Order in Council should be made under section 53 of the Commerce Act 1986 controlling goods and services supplied by persons in markets directly related to either a natural gas transmission system or a natural gas distribution system or both.

Energy Minister Trevor Mallard announced on Wednesday 27 July 2005 that the gas pipelines services provided by Powerco and Vector are to be subject to control under Part 5 of the Commerce Act.

The Minister also announced that the regulatory constraints for all gas pipelines will be strengthened by the implementation of a targeted (thresholds) control regime. This would be modelled on the current electricity lines regime under which explicit thresholds or revenue paths are set by the Commission and control can be imposed if the threshold is breached.

On 29 July 2005 and on behalf of the Minister of Energy, the Ministry of Economic Development released a discussion paper titled Proposal for Levy Funding of Part 5 Control on the Gas Pipeline Services Provided by Powerco and Vector. The paper discusses levy funding of the Commerce Commission's costs associated with Part 5 control over Powerco and Vector pursuant to the provisions of section 74 of the Commerce Act. Submissions closed on Friday 12 August 2005.

Documents

• Proposal for Levy Funding of Part 5 Control on the Gas Pipeline Services Provided by Powerco and Vector - Discussion Document  [ Published 29 July 2005 ]
  The Minister of Energy has announced that the gas pipeline services operated in respect of the gas pipelines owned by Powerco and Vector as at 1 July 2003 will be subject to control under the Commerce Act 1986 from 25 August 2005 to 31 August 2016.
• Control of Gas Pipeline Services: Policy Approval and Order in Council - Cabinet Minute  [ Published 25 July 2005 ]
  Minute reference from the Cabinet Business Committee.
• Control of Gas Pipeline Services - Cabinet Paper  [ Published 25 July 2005 ]
  Cabinet Paper from Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister of Energy, to inform Cabinet of the intention to make a recommendation in relation to the control of gas pipeline services following the Commerce Commission's Inquiry under Part 4 of the Commerce Act.
• Control of Gas Pipeline Services - Regulatory Impact and Business Compliance Cost Statement  [ Published 25 July 2005 ]
  RIS/BCCS of the Cabinet Paper to inform Cabinet of the intention to make a recommendation in relation to the control of gas pipeline services following the Commerce Commission's Inquiry under Part 4 of the Commerce Act.
• Control of Gas Pipeline Services - Minister Briefing  [ Published 05 July 2005 ]
  Resulting from concerns that gas pipeline businesses may be taking advantage of their monopolies, in 2003 the Minister of Energy requested the Commerce Commission to recommend whether or not those services should be controlled under the Commerce Act.
• Submissions on the Final Report  [ Published 01 March 2005 ]
  Submissions to the Gas Control Enquiry (Section 56) Report on whether goods and services supplied by businesses in markets directly related to gas transmission or gas distribution systems should be subject to regulation or control.
• Final Report  [ Published 29 November 2004 ]
  The Commerce Commission’s final report of 29 November 2004 on the Natural Gas Control Inquiry requested by the Minister of Energy on 30 April 2003.
• Commerce Commission Consultant Reports
  Commerce Commission consulation reports in regards to Section 56 Gas Control Inquiry.
• Media Statements
  Media statements relating to Section 56 of the Gas Control Inquiry.

See Also

• Regulatory Control Study on Gas Pipelines [link to Commerce Commission website] - Documents on the Commerce Commission website such as previous Commerce Commission Reports, Commerce Commission Consultant Reports and Submissions.

Contact: gascontrolinquiry@med.govt.nz