Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Electricity Industry Act 2000 - SECT 28

Customer dispute resolution

28. Customer dispute resolution



(1) A licence to-

   (a)  distribute or supply electricity; or

   (b)  sell electricity-

must be issued subject to a condition requiring the licensee to enter into a
customer dispute resolution scheme approved by the Commission.

(2) In approving a customer dispute resolution scheme, the Commission must
have regard to-



   (a)  the objectives of the Commission under this Act and under the
        Essential Services Commission Act 2001; and

   (b)  the need to ensure that the scheme is accessible to the licensee's
        customers and that there are no cost barriers to those customers using
        the scheme; and

   (c)  the need to ensure that the scheme is independent of the members of
        the scheme; and





   (d)  the need for the scheme to be fair and be seen to be fair; and

   (e)  the need to ensure that the scheme will publish decisions and
        information about complaints received by the scheme so as to be
        accountable to the members of the scheme and the customers of the
        scheme members; and

   (f)  the need for the scheme to undertake regular reviews of its
        performance to ensure that its operation is efficient and effective.

(3) The Commission may, in accordance with this Part, vary any existing
licence to-

   (a)  distribute or supply electricity; or

   (b)  sell electricity-

to include a condition of a kind referred to in subsection (1).