The Commission


The Commission is established under the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission Act 1997.  The Commission is constituted by one or more Commissioners.

The current Senior Commissioner is Richard Owens.

Senior Commissioner Richard Owens

Richard Owens was appointed Senior Commissioner of the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) of the ACT on 2 September 2025.

Richard is also an Associate Commissioner of the Utilities Commission of the Northern Territory and a consultant at farrierswier.

He has around 30 years' experience in competition and regulation issues. His previous roles include Executive General Manager at the Australian Energy Market Commission, leading an independent expert review into electricity transmission planning for the NSW Minister for Energy, a member of the secretariat for the Finkel review into the National Electricity Market, and a member of AEMO's Consumer Panel for the Integrated System Plan.

Richard started his career as a lawyer, working for 12 years in leading law firms in Australia and New Zealand and the New Zealand government, specialising in energy and telecommunications regulation and competition and consumer law. Since 2013, Richard has been a regular guest lecturer in energy and environmental law at the University of Sydney Law School.

Richard has honours and masters degrees in law. He is also a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley Executive Leadership Program and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Previous Commissioners

YearNameServed as
2016 – 2025Joseph DimasiSenior Commissioner
2016 – 2016Karen DoranSenior Commissioner
2016 – 2016Roger BroughtonSenior Commissioner
2011 – 2016Malcolm GraySenior Commissioner
2011 – 2016Michael BuckleySenior Commissioner
1996 – 2011Paul BaxterSenior Commissioner
2001 – 2006Robyn CreykeCommissioner
2001 – 2006Peter McGhieCommissioner