Commerce Act 1986 (Commerce Act) Sections 99B to 99P of the Commerce Act is the primary mechanism by which the NZCC can use its statutory powers to provide investigative assistance and compulsorily acquired information to recognised overseas regulators (those with whom the necessary agreements are in place). These sections require that the NZCC is satisfied that providing the information or assistance will, or is likely to, assist the overseas regulator in performing its functions or exercising its powers in relation to competition law. Mutual Assistance in Business Regulation Act 1992 (Cth) (MABRA)  This Act, passed by the Australian Government, allows business regulators (including the ACCC) to assist the NZCC with evidence gathering, such as enforcing production notices. However, it does not allow the business regulator to release information to us. Under the MABRA the NZCC makes a formal request for assistance, which is then considered by the ACCC and referred to the Australian Government. The Attorney General will then authorise the assistance if it is in Australia’s best interests and consistent with international law and comity. The available assistance can include compelling the production of documents and requiring a person to give oral evidence.  Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1992 (MACMA) This Act enables the New Zealand Government to authorise the NZCC to take steps in support of enforcing criminal investigations on behalf of overseas agencies. Steps taken may be such things as locating persons, taking evidence or obtaining document production orders. The MACMA governs both requests made by New Zealand to other countries and requests made by other countries to New Zealand.  The MACMA allows for New Zealand to request other countries fulfil requests for the same kinds of assistance as New Zealand can provide for other countries. While MACMA does not set out the form that responses to New Zealand's mutual assistance requests should take, they are governed by a number of statutes and common law rules, in particular the Evidence Act 2006. Where other countries make requests to New Zealand, these requests generally outline the purpose of the request and nature of the assistance being sought, the authority that initiated the request and the capacity in which the country is making the request.