Section 55Part 9 — Consumer protection
Industry Codes
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The Office may authorise industry self-regulatory or co-regulatory bodies to adopt codes of practice concerning the provision of covered services to end-users.
Any code adopted pursuant to subsection (1) shall comply with any applicable requirements contained in sectoral legislation, and may contain any or all of the following —
procedures regarding disclosure of the rates, terms and conditions on which a sectoral provider will supply covered services to end-users;
quality of service requirements;
requirements regarding the accuracy, contents and timeliness of bills for covered services provided to end-users;
dispute resolution procedures designed to resolve end-user complaints; and
any additional consumer protection requirements.
In any case in which the Office has delegated to a co-regulatory body the power to adopt a code, the Office may take any or all of the following actions —
review and, if appropriate, approve any code proposed by the co-regulatory body;
review and, if appropriate, approve any modifications to the code;
withdraw approval of the code; or
give notice that the Office will not approve, or will withdraw its approval, unless the co-regulatory body makes specific modifications to the code.
The Office shall only approve a code of practice prepared by a co-regulatory body if the Office concludes that the dispute resolution procedures contained in the code —
are administered by a person who is independent of both the Office and the parties to the dispute;
are easy to use and effective;
allow end-users who are natural persons to use the procedures free of charge;
ensure that all information necessary to resolve the dispute is obtained;
ensure that disputes are effectively investigated;
include provisions conferring power to make awards of appropriate compensation; and
provide for review by the Office.
The Office shall publish in the Official Gazette —
any code adopted or approved pursuant to subsection (1) or (3);
any modification approved pursuant to subsection (3); and
any withdrawal of approval of a code pursuant to subsection (3),
as soon as possible after the code or modification has been adopted or approved or the approval has been withdrawn.