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Discusses the product market competition and economic performance in Australia. Background on Australia's growth performance since the early 1990s and its possible link to strengthened competitive pressures and their interaction with other economic reforms; Assessment of the general competition policy framework and its role in promoting competition; Implications of trade liberalisation for economic performance and the scope for further improvements.

The article offers information on analysis of competition among beef industries in Australia by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It mentions analysis of competition between cattle buyers and suppliers of processed meat. It presents views of ACCC commissioner Mick Keogh on encouraging cattle and beef industry.

The article provides an overview of the Australian business sector and offers guidelines for foreign investors in the country. It assesses the regulation of businesses in the country and discusses the factors affecting foreign investments such as political and market conditions. Ways to organise an investment are offered. Policies concerning corporate taxes, competition and intellectual property and commerce are discussed.

This publication presents information on the economy, politics and business sector in Australia. It provides regulatory and market assessment and outlook for the country for 2007-2008. It also notes the growth of foreign investments, as well as the investment and incentive policies of the country. This entry also provides details on Australia's competition and price policies, foreign exchange and remittance funds, corporate and personal taxes, capital sources, human resources, foreign trade and electronic commerce (e-commerce).

Australia's National Competition Policy (NCP) has set out competition principles which extended the reach of competition law to previously exempt activities and provided a coherent framework for reforms in essential infrastructure industries. Among the major achievements are the establishment of an overarching national access regime -- together with sector-specific regimes -- which introduced third-party access arrangements for infrastructure services such as gas pipelines and rail track networks. Independent authorities were established in all jurisdictions to monitor and set prices for monopoly services. However, there remains unfinished business and the NCP infrastructure reform agenda was not exhaustive, leaving room for additional measures to improve the efficiency in essential areas such as electricity, water, road and rail transport. Implementing them, including through the new National Reform Agenda, should raise multifactor productivity further and should help to narrow the gap between Australia's per capita income and that of the OECD's best performers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the economic policy in Australia, as of February 2009. The government expects the country's fiscal balance to remain in surplus in 2008 to 2009 and for the next three years. It talks about the possibility of amending the Fair Work Bill 2008, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2008. It notes that the federal government is considering strengthening competition laws.