The Council of Australian Governments established the National Gas Pipelines Advisory Committee (NGPAC) on 7 November 1997, through the Natural Gas Pipelines Access Agreement (the Agreement). NGPAC was created to administer the National Third Party Access Code for Natural Gas Pipeline Systems, 'the Code'.
The NGPAC Information Booklet describes the role of the NGPAC as well as outlining the key features of the Code. It may be downloaded as a PDF (790Kb).
The Gas Pipelines Access (South Australia) Act 1997, is the 'lead legislation' for the national scheme which gives effect to the Code. The Act contains the Gas Pipelines Access Law comprising:
- Schedule 1, which provides the legal framework for the operation of the Access Regime; and
- Schedule 2, which contains the Code.
The major objective of the Code was to establish a uniform national framework for third party access to natural gas pipeline systems. The Code aims to provide flexibility for the negotiation of third party access to natural gas pipeline systems, while also providing sufficient prescription to reduce the need for arbitration.
Functions of NGPAC
The Agreement established NGPAC with the responsibility to:
- monitor, review and report on the operation of the Gas Pipelines Access Law (including the Code);
- provide advice to the Ministers on interpretation and administration of the Gas Pipelines Access Law (including the Code);
- prepare information on the Gas Pipelines Access Law (including the Code) for general publication; and
- make recommendations on amendments to the Gas Pipelines Access Law (including the Code) to Ministers.
NGPAC
contact details | NGPAC Proposed Code Changes |
NGPAC
Procedures and Annual Reports | NGPAC Background
