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Freedom of Information
The National Competition Council’s Freedom of Information (FOI) obligations are administered by the ACCC.
How to make a FOI request
If you require access to a document we hold, you may make a request under the FOI Act.
Your request must:
- be in writing
- state that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act
- provide as much information about the document(s) you seek to enable us to identify and locate the relevant documents, and
- provide an address for reply.
Your request should be sent to:
By post
FOI Officer
National Competition Council
GPO Box 250
Melbourne VIC 3001
By email
nccfoi@ncc.gov.au
If you require assistance with your request, please contact the FOI Officer on 1800 099 470 or by email at nccfoi@ncc.gov.au.
Documents available outside the FOI Act
Some information, including any personal information we hold about you, may be obtainable without having to make an application under the FOI Act. You should also check the information we have published under the Information Publication Scheme and the FOI Disclosure Log to see if what you are seeking is already available.
Contact the Council’s FOI Officer on 1800 099 470 or nccfoi@ncc.gov.au to find out if the information you require is available without the need to make an FOI application.
More information
More information about FOI can be found at the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.
Latest updates
The National Competition Council has delivered its final report to support the review of Australia’s mutual recognition schemes for workers.
The Council was asked to consider how the schemes affect productivity, workforce flexibility and consumer choice, and identify practical pathways to remove unnecessary licensing barriers.
Overall, the Council found mutual recognition schemes are providing benefits to workers and businesses, but their effectiveness has been hindered by incomplete participation, limited information sharing between regulators, and a lack of broader regulatory alignment across jurisdictions.
The Council also found that, while careful assessment of costs is required, national licensing can deliver large benefits for labour mobility in some occupations by solving many of the practical implementation challenges of mutual recognition.
National licensing is not the most appropriate solution for every occupation. The strongest case exists where:
• the occupation has a large workforce or is economically significant
• workers commonly move for work or work across borders remotely
• the occupation involves significant risks that would benefit from nationally consistent standards
• the occupation is underpinned by nationally consistent training and/or internationally recognised standards
• tripartite support for a national scheme exists.
Engineering is an example of such an occupation. Electricians are another example we observed very strong support for national licensing from both employer groups and unions in the Electrical sector.
In many occupations, a staged approach may be preferable. This could begin with improvements to the mutual recognition schemes, including greater regulatory harmonisation, before progressing towards national licensing.
The Council identified practical opportunities to strengthen the schemes, including by improving regulatory consistency, creating new infrastructure to enable better data collection and information sharing, and strengthening governance and oversight to support coordination and ensure reforms are enduring.
The Council thanks all those who contributed to the Review through roundtable discussions, bilateral meetings and written submissions.
The Review is intended to inform future policy development to reduce unnecessary occupational licensing barriers and support a more seamless national labour market.
The Workplan sets out a forward-looking agenda to advance competition reform which seeks to spark national collaboration, deliver practical outcomes and unlock new opportunities for a more dynamic Australian economy.
The Albanese Government has appointed Mr Marcus Bezzi as part time President and Ms Catherine Dermody, the Hon Dr Craig Emerson and Ms Sally McMahon as part time Councillors of the National Competition Council from 18 February 2026. Bringing exceptional expertise across competition, law, economics and regulation, these appointments strengthen the NCC’s leadership in driving Australia’s competition reform agenda and reflect the Government’s continued commitment to appointing outstanding women to key roles.
