Big shoes need filling at Commerce Commission

Monday 16th March 2009

The Government has made a temporary appointment to chair the Commerce Commission following a decision by the current chair, Paula Rebstock, to step down.

Justice Minister Simon Power today announced the appointment for 18 months of Dr Mark Berry, a lawyer specialising in law and economic regulation, to replace Ms Rebstock.

Dr Berry was Deputy Chair of the commission between 1999 and 2001.

Power expressed enormous gratitude for Rebstock's 11 years at the commission, the last five spent as Chair.

"It is with regret that I have accepted Rebstock's decision to leave the Commission," Power said. "The Government was very keen for her to stay on, but she informed me she wanted to pursue other interests in the private and public sectors."

Berry will take over on April 1.

Paying tribute to Ms Rebstock, the commission's chief executive, Nick Hill, said: "Her leadership has been unflinching, her workload has been tremendous, and her total commitment to and belief in the benefits for business and consumers of competitive markets has been constant."

Power said her skills and experience were instrumental in raising the effectiveness of the Commission.

"During that time she oversaw the development of the Commerce Commission from an enforcer of competition and consumer law to, among other things, a regulator responsible for key aspects of New Zealand's economic infrastructure."

Businesswire.co.nz

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