The ERA is Western Australia's independent economic regulator. The ERA's work ensures that Western Australian consumers and businesses have a fair, competitive and efficient environment.
Regulatory bodies are designed for the specific needs of their role and the community they serve. An economic regulator is especially important in Western Australia because our state is isolated, and we have a relatively small population spread over a large area. This means that for some essential services, real competition is not economically viable so suppliers in these areas effectively operate as monopolies.
Without competition, even the best-intentioned and well-run monopolies need an independent but expert voice to ensure that customer needs are protected over the long term. This is our role. We aim to reduce compliance costs and promote efficiency to benefit all parts of our community.
Why independent regulation?
Independence needs a clear separation between government policy-setting and regulation. Independence reduces the risk of regulatory decisions being inappropriately influenced by vested interests, helping to ensure that decision-making is in the long-term interests of Western Australian consumers.
