The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is required by section 133A of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Services Standards) Act 1999 to undergo an independent review. The review is being conducted by private consultancy Cameron.Ralph.Khoury and is to be completed by 17 August 2017. ACCAN submitted to the review after consulting with its members about their experiences with, and opinions of the TIO.
The purpose of the review is to examine and make recommendations on the:
- Adequacy of the TIO’s authorising environment (legislative, Constitution, and Terms of Reference)
- Effectiveness of the TIO’s complaint resolution processes, systems, and resources
- Effectiveness of the TIO’s approach to systemic issues in improving telecommunications provider practices
- Effectiveness of the TIO’s engagement with government, regulators, consumers, industry, and other stakeholders.
ACCAN strongly supports the role of the TIO as an independent, industry-funded scheme that provides free dispute resolution for consumers. However, ACCAN’s submission identifies many areas for improvement and suggests ways in which the TIO scheme can better serve consumers.
