Book Overview: "Access Regulation in Australia"

Author: Morelle Bull, Geoff Petersen, and other contributors (as specified in the sources)

Publication Date: 2016

Summary: "Access Regulation in Australia" is a comprehensive guide to regulatory access issues in Australia. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the regulatory regimes currently in operation, focusing on the economic and legal principles that underpin them. It addresses the forms of and approaches to access regulation, reviewing the access regimes by sector, including energy, transport, and telecommunications. The book also examines the mechanisms for reviewing access-related decisions and draws out the essential elements of each regime in detail.

Key Themes:

1. Regulatory Access Issues: The book delves into the complexities of regulatory access, explaining how these regimes ensure that owners of critical infrastructure do not exercise market power in a way that prevents competition in related markets.
2. Economic and Legal Principles: It explores the economic and legal principles that govern access regulation, providing a nuanced understanding of how these principles shape regulatory frameworks.
3. Sector-Specific Analysis: The book offers a sector-by-sector analysis of access regimes, focusing on energy, transport, and telecommunications. This detailed approach helps readers understand the specific challenges and solutions in each sector.
4. Statutory Regulators and Tribunals: It discusses the role of statutory regulators and the Australian Competition Tribunal in overseeing and enforcing access regulations.

Critical Reception: While there is no specific critical reception available in the sources provided, the book is described as a "much-needed guide" and an "indispensable tool" for practitioners, economists, and those working in public policy and finance, particularly in the energy and telecommunications sectors. This suggests that the book has been well-received for its comprehensive and detailed coverage of regulatory access issues in Australia.

Target Audience: The book is intended for a diverse range of practitioners, including those engaged in access regulation issues, economists, and professionals working in public policy and finance, particularly in the energy and telecommunications sectors.

In summary, "Access Regulation in Australia" is a detailed and authoritative guide that provides a thorough understanding of regulatory access issues in Australia, making it an essential resource for professionals and scholars in the field.