Simon Muys

Biography

Simon is a partner in our Competition, Consumer and Market Regulation group.

He is one of Australia’s leading competition lawyers, covering complex merger clearances, ACCC investigations and enforcement, competition litigation and regulatory matters, with particular regulatory expertise advising across the energy, telecommunications, resources, infrastructure and transport sectors.

Simon has also been involved in many of the most significant and complex merger clearance processes over the last decade, including a number that have been litigated before the Competition Tribunal and Federal Court. In addition to merger clearance work and competition litigation, Simon is regarded as one of Australia’s leading advisers on third-party access, pricing and economic regulatory issues in infrastructure markets.

Simon regularly speaks and writes on competition and regulatory issues. He is the Deputy Chair of the Competition and Consumer Committee of the Law Council of Australia, a member of the Energy and Resources Law Association (AMPLA) and is a member and former officer of the Communications and Competition Committees of the International Bar Association.  

Listen to Simon on The Competitive Edge podcast.

Experience

Simon’s experience includes advising:

  • Telstra in relation to its application for formal merger authorisation regarding implementation of a spectrum and active network sharing arrangement with TPG.

  • Qube (as part of a consortium with Brookfield and others) on its $9 billion acquisition of the assets of Asciano and subsequent acquisitions, including the Newcastle Agri Terminal and the Melbourne International RoRo Terminal.

  • Tabcorp on its successful authorisation of the $11 billion merger with Tatts Group, including a successful merits review before the Australian Competition Tribunal.

  • Oz Minerals on ACCC and global and domestic regulatory aspects of its $9.6 billion acquisition by BHP.

  • Virtus on contested merger litigation following an ACCC challenge to its proposed acquisition of the Healius IVF business.

  • Several clients in relation to ACCC investigations and prosecutions, in respect of misuse of market power, anti-competitive and cartel conduct.

  • Brookfield on the Australian clearance of its acquisition of GWA, including divestment of Australian assets under an enforceable undertaking to Macquarie Infrastructure.

  • Beach Energy, Rio Tinto and others on a range of contested pricing matters including upstream gas arbitrations under multiple GSAs, as well as competition advice for various production and infrastructure arrangements.

  • The peak Hunter Valley coal producer group for over a decade in its engagement with ARTC and the ACCC in relation to below rail regulated access arrangements.

  • A number of regulators, including the Queensland Competition Authority, the Victorian Essential Services Commission and the Australian Energy Market Commission.

Awards and Recognition

  • Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 - 2025

    Ranked Band 3 for Competition/Antitrust

  • Best Lawyers 2025

    Recognised in the areas of Competition Law, Litigation, Regulatory Practice and Telecommunications Law

  • GCR Who’s Who Legal – Australia and New Zealand 2024

    Recognised for Competition

  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024

    Leading Individual for Competition and Trade