To be held in Darwin, the meeting comes almost two years after an agreement was made to replace state-based regulation with a new national regime. The new consolidated framework is due to be in effect by January 1, 2007.

The ENA, which has designed its own model for the new national laws, told AAP that its idea aimed to reduce the amount of red tape that energy companies currently faced.

Its action plan is based on a system that has been in place in the gas industry since 1998.

This “propose-respond” regulatory model differs from other frameworks, in that the infrastructure provider is directly responsible for preparing proposed terms and conditions of access to the network.

Other approaches tend to cause undue delays in regulatory decisions and “a tendency for regulatory approaches to become prescriptive and heavy-handed”, AAP quoted ENA chief executive Andrew Blyth as saying.

Blythe also told the news agency that more than $A16 billion needed to be spent maintaining and upgrading Australia’s gas and electricity networks over the next five years.

If adopted, the ENA regulation model would allow this “incredibly important infrastructure investment” to occur, he said.

The ENA represents the electricity and gas distribution businesses in Australia.