On 31 March 2015 the much anticipated Final Report of
Australia's Competition Policy Review Panel was released. The
Panel has recommended the abolition of the liner shipping exemption
to Australia's anti-cartel laws and the deregulation of the
current cabotage regime – two recommendations that will be of
considerable interest to the maritime sector and the many sectors
which rely upon it, both within Australia and throughout the Asia
Pacific region.
Background
In 2013, the incumbent Liberal-National Party Coalition
Government of Tony Abbott (Abbott Government)
commissioned an independent 'root and branch' review of
Australia's competition laws and policy in recognition of the
fact that the Australian economy has changed markedly since the
last major review of competition policy in 1993. The review was
undertaken by a four-member Competition Policy Review Panel chaired
by Professor Ian Harper (Harper Review). The
recommendations regarding the liner shipping
