{{Short description|Act of Parliament in New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox legislation | short_title = Commerce Act 1986 | legislature = New Zealand Parliament | image = Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg | imagesize = 180px | long_title = To promote competition within markets in New Zealand | introduced_by = | administered_by = | datepassed = | royal_assent = 28 April 1986 | date_commenced = | amended_by = 2008 | related = | repeals = | status = Current }} The '''Commerce Act 1986''' is a statute of New Zealand. It prohibits conduct that restricts competition and purchase of shares or assets where that would lessen competition in a market.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comcom.govt.nz/the-legislation/|title=Commerce Act 1986|publisher=Commerce Commission|access-date=27 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110109081834/http://www.comcom.govt.nz/the-legislation|archive-date=9 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
As well as generally governing markets, the Act gives the Commerce Commission particular powers in relation to services provided by electricity lines businesses, gas pipeline businesses and airports.
==Background== The Commerce Act 1986 represented the first complete competition law legislation in New Zealand. Previously, the government had attempted to manage markets and competition through ad hoc measures such as price controls and anti-profiteering rules.<ref name="Berry">{{cite journal |last1=Berry |first1=Dr Mark N. |title=New Zealand Anti-trust: Some reflections on the first twenty-five years |journal=Loyola University Chicago International Law Review |date=2013 |volume=10 |issue=2 |page=125 |url=https://lawecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1157&context=lucilr |access-date=15 January 2021}}</ref> The Commerce Act was modelled on the Australian competition legislation that existed at that time, the Trade Practices Act 1974 (now the Competition and Consumer Act 2010), which itself had been inspired by the American legislation of the Sherman and Clayton Acts.<ref name="Berry" />
==See also== * Commerce Commission
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0005/latest/DLM87623.html Commerce Act 1986]
Category:Statutes of New Zealand Category:Competition law Category:1986 in New Zealand law Category:Business in New Zealand