ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an explanation of the motivation for and results of the reform and restructuring process that took place in the Australian electricity and gas industries during the 1990s and 2000s. This involved not just a restructuring of the industry but also in many cases the large-scale privatisation of government owned electricity and gas assets. The restructuring of the Australian electricity and gas industries during the 1990s and 2000s was one of the largest reforms undertaken and led to the dismantling of industry structures that had existed in Australia since the 1920s. Oil is important in the transport industry, and both coal and natural gas are important in the generation of electricity. Natural gas is also used for cooking and heating. So far, most of the gain has been enjoyed by larger businesses, which saw real prices fall throughout most of the 1990s.
