Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Commissioner Liza Carver will conclude her term with the regulator in May.
This ends a period of service marked by involvement in merger oversight and digital platform scrutiny, as well as chairing the agency’s Enforcement Committee.
Carver, whose appointment began in March 2022, has held senior roles across Australia’s regulatory landscape for decades. Her public service included stints as associate commissioner at the ACCC and Trade Practices Commission during the 1990s, and as a member of the Australian Energy Market Commission and the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
“Liza’s legal skill and rigour, strategic insights, and guidance have shaped our enforcement program in recent years, and her input has been central to many of our most important outcomes,” said ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. “Liza has made important contributions in many areas of our work, including in merger review and digital platforms regulation.”
Carver said her role at the commission had been a notable chapter in her career.
“‘It has been an absolute privilege to serve as a commissioner with the ACCC under the leadership of Gina Cass-Gottlieb. The importance of the agency to the welfare of consumers and the competitiveness of the Australian economy cannot be overstated, nor can the diligence and commitment of its staff and commissioners. I look forward to watching its successes in the future,” she said.
Cass-Gottlieb added that the regulator appreciates Carver’s contributions and extends best wishes for her future work.
Carver’s departure comes amid major developments in the ACCC’s approach to merger control. In March, the commission released a draft framework outlining how it intends to review notified transactions under Australia’s updated merger rules, which will become mandatory in January 2026.
According to ACCC commissioner Philip Williams, the guidelines are aimed at increasing clarity and consistency for stakeholders involved in mergers and acquisitions.
Although the core legal threshold – assessing whether a merger would substantially lessen competition – remains intact, Williams noted that the revised rules now formally encompass mergers that consolidate or entrench market dominance. The ACCC will also factor in the cumulative effect of multiple acquisitions made over a three-year period.
The draft document, shaped by an initial consultation round, will be finalised ahead of the voluntary notification process starting July 1. The ACCC expects further revisions to follow as new case law develops through the Australian Competition Tribunal.
Stakeholders including businesses, consumer groups, legal practitioners, and financial advisers are encouraged to review the draft guidelines and provide feedback. Submissions can be made via the ACCC’s consultation portal until April 17.
