The Minister can refer a matter to the Commissioner to start a safeguard inquiry

The Commissioner must conduct the inquiry and report to the Minister; the Minister must then table that report in Parliament

The Commissioner can hold hearings in private if the evidence is confidential or it is in the public interest

The Commission must make written statements and documents public unless the Commissioner decides they are confidential

The Commissioner can request and use information held by the Productivity Commission

The Commissioner cannot recommend a safeguard measure unless there is objective evidence that increased imports are causing or threatening serious injury to an Australian industry

The Commissioner must prove a causal link between increased imports and the industry injury before making a finding