National Competition Council
Section 1:  Overview, appropriations and budget measures summary
Overview
The role of the National Competition Council (NCC) is to oversight and assist the implementation of National Competition Policy and related reforms outlined in frameworks developed and agreed by all Australian governments. Its responsibilities include assisting public awareness of competition reform agendas, recommending on the design and coverage of infrastructure access regimes under Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974, and assessing whether States and Territories have made satisfactory progress towards competition policy reform.
The NCC vision is that through constructive engagement with governments it will work towards completing the reform program originally envisaged in April 1995. The NCC’s second broad goal is to help the community to become better attuned to the scope and potential outcomes of competition reform. This approach will enable increased competition to be introduced where it will result in greater economic growth, less unemployment, better social outcomes and the better use of resources for all Australians. The above vision is embodied in the Council’s mission: ‘To help raise the living standards of the Australian community by ensuring that conditions for competition prevail throughout the economy that promote growth, innovation and productivity’.
Appropriations
The total appropriations for the NCC in the 2001-02 Budget are $3.6 million (see Table 1.1 on the following page).

Part C:  Agency Budget Statements — NCC

National Competition Council — appropriations 2001-02
Table 1.1:  Appropriations and other revenue

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(1)	C1 and E1 refer to information provided in Table 2.1. K1 refers to information provided in Table 3.1.
(2)	Under the appropriation structure, Bill No. 2 includes Specific Purpose Payments (SPP’s), New Agency Outcomes (NAO’s), administered capital and agency capital via agency injections and loans.
(3)	Refer to Table 3.1 for application of agency revenue.
*	Percentage figures indicate the percentage contribution of revenue from government (agency appropriations) to the total price of outputs, by outcome.
Budget Measures — National Competition Council summary
Table 1.2:  Summary of measures in the 2001-02 Budget

Part C:  Agency Budget Statements - NCC

Administered capital and agency equity injections and loans

203

The NCC does not have an appropriation for an equity injection or loan or appropriations for administered capital in 2001-02.

Section 2:  Outcomes and outputs information
Outcomes and output groups
The map on the following page shows the relationship between Government outcomes and the contributing outputs for the National Competition Council (NCC). Financial detail for Outcome 1 by output appears in Table 2.1 while non‑financial information for Outcome 1 appears in Table 2.2.
Chart 6:  Outcomes and output groups

Changes to outcomes and outputs
There is no change in outcomes or outputs from the previous year.
Outcome 1 — Description
The achievement of effective and fair competition reforms and better use of Australia’s infrastructure for the benefit of the community.
Measures affecting Outcome 1
Continued funding for legal matters relating to Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974
The Government has provided $1.2 million over four years to the National Competition Council to fund any legal proceedings relating to recommendations by the Council on the coverage of access arrangements under Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974.
National Competition Policy communication and education
The Government has extended the funding for the National Competition Council’s communication and education programme by $0.8 million over four years. The measure will fund community information papers, participation and promotion at industry and education conferences and the production of other briefing and information related to competition policy.

Outcome 1 — Resourcing
Table 2.1 shows how the 2001-02 appropriations translate to total resourcing for Outcome 1 including revenue from government (appropriation), revenue from other sources and the total price of outputs.
Table 2.1:  Total resources for Outcome 1

(1)	C1 and E1 — see Table 1.1

Outcome 1 — Contribution of outputs
The NCC pursues goals and strategies that allow it to provide advice to governments on competition policy and infrastructure access and public information on competition policy.  Further, these goals and strategies work towards the achievement of effective and fair competition reforms and better use of Australia’s infrastructure for the benefit of the community.
Table 2.2:  Performance information for Outcome 1
Performance information for agency outputs	
Output Group 1.1 — National Competition Council	
Output 1.1.1 — Advice provided to governments on 	competition policy and 	infrastructure access issues	Advice and recommendations meet criteria as to quality, accuracy and timeliness.	
	Advice and recommendations take into account all relevant considerations and meet Ministers’ needs.	
	Recommendations to governments and representations to the Australian Competition Tribunal on access to essential infrastructure services, and reviews requested by governments, are effective and timely.	
Output 1.1.2 — Clear, accessible public information 	on competition policy	Publications and explanatory material, including the Annual Report are comprehensive and meet deadlines, and information provided is effective in promoting understanding of competition reform policy and processes.	

Evaluations
An evaluation programme that relates to this outcome is currently being undertaken by government and results will be shown in the NCC’s Annual Report.
Competitive tendering and contracting
The NCC is currently ‘testing’ the market for the provision of an interactive website.

Section 3:  Budgeted financial statements
The budgeted financial statements will form the basis of the financial statements that will appear in the National Competition Council (NCC)’s 2001-02 Annual Report and form the basis for the input into the Whole of Government Accounts. The financial statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
The budgeted financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) accounting guidelines of the Urgent Issues Group (UIG) of the Australian Accounting Standards Board. The UIG consensus requires that expenses and assets be accounted for net of recoverable GST, revenues be accounted for net of GST payable and that cash flows and accounts payable and receivable be reported gross. Appropriations are thus net of recoverable GST amounts.
Agency statements
Budgeted agency statement of financial performance
This statement provides a picture of the expected financial results for NCC by identifying full accrual expenses and revenues, which highlights whether NCC is operating at a sustainable level.
Budgeted agency statement of financial position 
This statement shows the financial position of NCC. It enables decision-makers to track the management of NCC’s assets and liabilities.
Budgeted agency statement of cash flows 
This statement identifies expected cash flows from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities.
Agency capital budget statement 
This statement shows all proposed capital expenditure funded through the Budget as appropriations or from internal sources.
Agency non-financial assets — summary of movement
This statement shows the movement in NCC’s non-financial assets over the Budget year 2001-02.

Table 3.1:  Budgeted agency statement of financial performance
for the period ended 30 June

1.	K1 — see Table 1.1

Table 3.2:  Budgeted agency statement of financial position
as at 30 June

Table 3.3:  Budgeted agency statement of cash flows 
for the period ended 30 June

Table 3.4:  Agency capital budget statement

Part C:  Agency Budget Statements — NCC

Table 3.5:  Agency non-financial assets — summary of movement (Budget year 2001-02)

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Notes to the financial statements
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on an accrual basis in accordance with the historical cost convention.
Appendix 1
Non-appropriation agency revenue