KEY POINTS:
Paula Rebstock has been re-appointed chairwoman of the Commerce Commission through to March 2009, Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel announced today.
Ms Rebstock has been commission chairwoman since 2003. She joined it in 1998.
Ms Dalziel said the commission had taken on an extensive range of new roles and functions over recent years, which Ms Rebstock had skilfully overseen and implemented.
"Her experience will be highly valuable to the commission as it further develops its capabilities," she said.
The commission is independent and is responsible for enforcing the Commerce Act, the Fair Trading Act, the Electricity Industry Reform Act and the Telecommunications Act, as well as credit contract and consumer protection laws.
Ms Dalziel said that in coming years the commission would implement regulation of the gas distribution industry and target cartels for enforcement activity.
Ms Rebstock's approach to company regulation has been variously described by business people as "bewildering", "far too aggressive", "extraordinary", and "driven by some kind of leftie agenda to redistribute wealth" in the economy.
Last week the Herald named Ms Rebstock as New Zealander of the Year in its annual awards.
In the article, Business Roundtable chief executive Roger Kerr said big business was deeply unimpressed with the commission's "sheriff-like behaviour" and Ms Rebstock's tough language.
"There's been much too much aggressive posturing on the part of the commission and quite dubious actions in the form of seizure of firms' documents. It's extraordinary," says Mr Kerr, adding the commission seems to believe its role is to redistribute wealth evenly in the economy - rather than simply promoting economic efficiency.
"She is staunch," said David Russell of the Consumers Institute.
After years of being perceived as ineffectual, finally "the Commerce Commission has shown itself, under Paula, to be prepared to make the hard calls and not to back away, even when they come under pressure from politicians, and even when their decisions aren't implemented," Mr Russell said.
- NZHERALD STAFF and NZPA
