Major opportunities for mutuals to enter service markets

24 November 2015

Today, the Federal government released their Response to the Competition Policy Review supporting a new set of competition principles to include “choice and diversity of providers in human services.”

In the final report, the Harper Review recognised co-operatives and mutuals could play a greater role in delivering human services, meeting productivity and efficiency objectives whilst safeguarding the principles of consumer directed care.

Reacting to the government’s response, BCCM CEO, Melina Morrison said the government’s decision to establish a Productivity Commission review to explore how the principles can be applied in practice to the human services sector was an opportunity to research reforms in different jurisdictions that incorporate principles of choice, competition and contestability including multi stakeholder and consumer owned co-operatives and staff led mutuals.

Professor Ian Harper, Chair of the Competition Policy Review Panel, addressed the BCCM’s Leaders’ Summit held earlier this month in Melbourne.