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ESSENTIAL SERVICES COMMISSION ACT 2001

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

  • 1 Purpose  
  • 2 Commencement  
  • 3 Definitions  
  • 4 Order declaring a regulated industry  
  • 5 Interpretation and application of Act  
  • 6 Crown to be bound  

PART 2--ESSENTIAL SERVICES COMMISSION

  • 7 Essential Services Commission  
  • 8 Objective of the Commission  
  • 8A Matters which the Commission must have regard to  
  • 9 Commission represents Crown  
  • 10 Functions of the Commission  
  • 10AAA Reporting on regulated industry market structure and performance  
  • 10AA Commission's functions in relation to compliance and enforcement  
  • 10AAB Commission's functions in relation to the retail energy market  
  • 10A Commission's functions in relation to particular Basin water charges  
  • 10C Commission's functions in relation to renewable energy  
  • 10D Commission's functions in relation to energy efficiency  
  • 10E Commission's functions in relation to Councils  
  • 11 Powers of the Commission  
  • 12 Commission not subject to direction or control  
  • 13 Commission may publish statements and guidelines  
  • 14 Commission must publish Charter  
  • 15 Consultation  
  • 16 Memoranda of Understanding  
  • 17 Membership of the Commission  
  • 18 The Chairperson  
  • 19 Tenure of office of Chairperson  
  • 20 Acting appointment  
  • 21 Additional Commissioners  
  • 22 Tenure of office of additional Commissioners  
  • 23 Payment of Chairperson and other Commissioners  
  • 23A Chief executive officer  
  • 24 Staff  
  • 25 Consultants  
  • 26 Delegation  
  • 27 Declaration of pecuniary interests  
  • 28 Meetings of the Commission  
  • 29 Conduct of particular inquiry or determination  
  • 30 Determinations of the Commission  
  • 31 Matters to be included in annual report  

PART 3--SPECIFIC POWERS

  • 31A Definitions  
  • 32 Price Regulation  
  • 33 Price determinations  
  • 34 Other regulatory powers  
  • 35 General provisions relating to determinations  

PART 3A--THIRD PARTY ACCESS REGIMES

  • 35A Object of Part  
  • 35B Application of Part  
  • 35C Pricing principles applying in respect of regulated access prices  
  • 35D Time limit for determinations relating to third party infrastructure access regimes  
PART 4--INFORMATION GATHERING NOTICES

Division 1--Information gathering notices

  • 36 Information gathering notices—performing functions or exercising powers  
  • 37 Information gathering notices—matters that constitute contravention of essential services requirement  
  • 38 Form of information gathering notice  

Division 2--Compliance with information gathering notices

  • 39 Power to examine on oath or affirmation  
  • 39A Protection against self-incrimination—information gathering notices under section 36(1)  
  • 39B Protection against self-incrimination—information gathering notices under section 37(1)  
  • 39C Offence of coercion etc. against person who complies with information gathering notice  
  • 39D No liability for loss, damage or injury  

Division 3--Documents

  • 39E Powers in relation to documents  
  • 39F Copies of seized documents  
  • 39G Retention and return of seized documents  
  • 39H Application for return of seized document  
  • 39I Magistrates' Court may extend 3-month period  

Division 4--When Commission must not serve information gathering notice

  • 39J Matters about which the Commission must not serve information gathering notice  
PART 4A--PROVISION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO REGULATED ENTITIES
  • 39K Provision of information relating to regulated entities  
  • 39L Matters about which the Commission must not gather information under this Part  
PART 4B--INSPECTION POWERS

Division 1--Inspectors

  • 39M Appointment of inspectors  
  • 39N Inspector's identification  
  • 39O Production of identification  

Division 2--Entry and search of premises with consent

  • 39P Entry and search with consent  
  • 39Q Notice before entry and search  
  • 39R Acknowledgement of consent to entry and search  

Division 3--Entry and search of premises with warrant

  • 39S Search warrants  
  • 39T Form and content of search warrants  
  • 39U Warrant may authorise the giving of a direction requiring assistance from person with knowledge of a computer  
  • 39V Announcement before entry  
  • 39W Details of warrant to be given to occupier  
  • 39X Seizure of documents or computers not mentioned in the warrant  

Division 4--Documents and computers

  • 39Y Copies of seized documents  
  • 39Z Retention and return of seized documents or computers  
  • 39ZA Application for return of seized documents or computers  
  • 39ZB Magistrates' Court may extend 3-month period  

Division 5--Offences

  • 39ZC Refusal or failure to comply with requirement  
  • 39ZD Protection against self-incrimination  
  • 39ZE Offence to hinder or obstruct inspector  
  • 39ZF Offence to impersonate inspector  

Division 6--Miscellaneous

  • 39ZG Requirement to assist inspector during entry  
  • 39ZH Entry to be reported to the Commission  
  • 39ZI Register of exercise of powers of entry  
  • 39ZJ Complaints  

Division 7--When inspector must not exercise search and seizure powers or apply for search warrants

  • 39ZK Matters about which inspectors must not exercise search and seizure powers or apply for search warrants  

PART 4C--COURT MAY ORDER COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS

  • 39ZL Powers of court if requirement of Commission or inspector not complied with  

PART 5--INQUIRIES AND REPORTS

  • 40 Inquiry by Commission  
  • 41 Minister may refer matter for inquiry  
  • 41A Minister may limit use of powers under section 37  
  • 42 Notice of inquiry  
  • 43 Conduct of inquiry  
  • 45 Reports  
  • 46 Special reports  

PART 6--CODES OF PRACTICE

  • 47 Power to make Codes of Practice  
  • 48 Power to apply, adopt or incorporate  
  • 49 Publication of Codes of Practice and amendments  
  • 50 Automatic revocation of Codes of Practice after 10 years  
PART 7--ENFORCEMENT

Division 1--Contravention order and related orders

  • 53 Contravention order  
  • 54 Civil penalty orders  
  • 54A Civil penalty amount—energy licensees  
  • 54B Civil penalty amount—officers of energy licensees  
  • 54C Civil penalty amount—other regulated entities  
  • 54D Civil penalty amount—officers of other regulated entities  
  • 54E How other civil penalty amounts are to be provided  
  • 54F Adverse publicity orders  
  • 54G Orders requiring provision of services, education, etc.  
  • 54H Compensation and other orders  
  • 54I Proceedings under this Division are civil proceedings  
  • 54J Authority to commence proceedings  
  • 54K Civil proceedings after criminal proceedings  
  • 54L Criminal proceeding during proceeding for civil penalty order  
  • 54M Criminal proceedings commenced after proceeding for contravention order  
  • 54N Evidence given or produced during proceeding for contravention order  
  • 54O Conduct contravening more than one civil penalty requirement  
  • 54P Multiple contraventions of civil penalty requirements  
  • 54Q Multiple proceedings for contravention order to be heard together  
  • 54R Jurisdictional limit of Magistrates' Court does not apply to civil penalty order  

Division 2--Penalty notice regime

  • 54S Power to serve a penalty notice  
  • 54T Notice penalties  
  • 54U How other notice penalty amounts are to be provided  
  • 54V Form of penalty notice  
  • 54W Commission must not commence certain proceedings while penalty notice on foot or until time for payment has expired  
  • 54X Late payment  
  • 54Y Withdrawal of penalty notice  
  • 54Z Refund of notice penalty  
  • 54ZA Payment expiates contravention  
  • 54ZB Payment not to have certain consequences  
  • 54ZC Multiple contraventions  

Division 3--Enforceable undertakings

  • 54ZD Enforceable undertakings  
  • 54ZE Enforcement of enforceable undertakings  
  • 54ZF Monetary benefits order—contravention of enforceable undertaking  

Division 4--Compliance notices

  • 54ZG Compliance notice  

Division 5--Injunctions

  • 54ZH Injunctions  
  • 54ZI Consent injunctions  
  • 54ZJ Interim injunctions  
  • 54ZK Variation and discharge of injunctions  
  • 54ZL Undertakings as to damages and costs  

Division 6--Declarations

  • 54ZM Declarations  

Division 7--Other persons involved in contraventions of civil penalty requirements

  • 54ZN Persons involved in contraventions  

Division 8--Register of Enforcement Action

  • 54ZO Register of Enforcement Action  
PART 7A--FUNDS

Division 1--Essential Services Commission Enforcement Fund

  • 54ZP Essential Services Commission Enforcement Fund  
  • 54ZQ Payments into the Essential Services Commission Enforcement Fund  
  • 54ZR Payments out of the Essential Services Commission Enforcement Fund  
  • 54ZS Recovery of amounts ordered to be paid into the Essential Services Commission Enforcement Fund  

Division 2--Essential Services Commission Operating Fund

  • 54ZT Essential Services Commission Operating Fund  
  • 54ZU Payments into the Essential Services Commission Operating Fund  
  • 54ZV Payments out of the Essential Services Commission Operating Fund  
PART 7B--REVIEW BY VCAT
  • 55 VCAT review  
  • 56 Proceedings for review by VCAT  
  • 56A Commission to give effect to VCAT decisions  
PART 7C--GENERAL

Division 1--Personal liability and contraventions by bodies corporate and others

  • 60 Personal liability  
  • 60A Contraventions of this Act and relevant legislation by bodies corporate  
  • 60B Conduct by officers, employees or agents  

Division 2--Disclosure of information, information sharing and offences

  • 60C Restriction on disclosure of confidential information  
  • 60D Commission must not disclose exempt freedom of information documents  
  • 60E Information sharing arrangements  
  • 61 Disclosure of information an offence  
  • 61A Offence to give false or misleading information or documents  
  • 61B Monetary benefits order—false and misleading information offence to Commission  

Division 3--Miscellaneous

  • 62 Proceedings  
  • 62A Who can commence proceedings for offences?  
  • 62B Determining amount to be paid under monetary benefits orders and certain civil penalty orders  
  • 62C Court may grant relief from liability  
  • 63 Supreme Court—limitation of jurisdiction  
  • 64 Service of documents  
  • 65 Regulations  
  • 66 Review  

PART 7D--AMENDMENTS CONSEQUENTIAL TO REPEAL OF PART 1B OF THE WATER INDUSTRY ACT 1994

PART 8--TRANSITIONAL

  • 67 Repeal of the Office of the Regulator-General Act 1994  
  • 68 Commission is successor in law  
  • 69 Transitional provision—uncompleted appeals  
  • 70 Enforcement  
  • 71 Enforcement orders  
  • 72 Energy industry penalty notices  
  • 73 Information gathering  
  • 74 Information sharing  
  • 75 Chief executive officer  
  • 76 Codes of Practice  
  • 77 Transitional civil penalty requirements—Energy Retail Code  
  • 78 Transitional civil penalty requirements—Electricity Distribution Code  
  • 79 Transitional civil penalty requirements—Gas Distribution System Code  
  • ENDNOTES

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