I regularly speak to businesses who cannot reconcile the idea of competition with the ability of the ACCC to regulate the market.

In a recent speech ACCC Chair Graeme Samuel sought to explain his role in the context of infrastructure:

"those who take a longer-term view recognise that it is regulation of important national infrastructure like our railways, ports and telecommunications systems that has allowed many of those businesses to succeed, and for Australia’s economy to grow.

Without regulation and the competitive environment it creates, Australia’s industry would be inefficient, riddled with shady deals and smaller players would have little chance of being able to compete. The losers would of course be consumers."