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For immediate release
17 June 2002
Electricity
Complaints Commission holds first AGM
The Electricity Complaints Commission's first
Annual Plan and Budget were approved at its inaugural General
Meeting last week.
Commissioner Judi Jones presented the annual
plan and budget, as well as her first annual report, to industry
and consumer group representatives at the meeting on June
13, 2002 at the Angus Rooms, The Museum of New Zealand Te
Papa Tongarewa.
As the Electricity Complaints Commission
was set up in October last year and the commissioner was appointed
in January 2002, the reporting was for a three-month period
to 31 March 2002.
The budget for the 2002-2003 financial year
was approved as well, with $1,025,650 in levies expected.
The scheme is funded by levies from member companies, based
on the number of ICPs (individual connection points) they
supply.
Commission chairperson Alison Paterson spoke
to the meeting on the duties of the commission, reporting
and reviewing and expected challenges. She said that not all
industry members had joined the complaints scheme but that
the commission would work to encourage full industry support
for the council board and commission.
Customer and industry satisfaction with the
scheme would also need to be monitored, she said.
"The level of consumer complaints is
such that the commission is in no doubt of the importance
of this scheme for the benefit of the industry and of consumers
in respect of what is an essential service," Alison Paterson
said.
Judi Jones spoke of the challenges of setting
up an office from scratch, while being live for complaints,
which came in from day one.
Billing issues made up 72 percent of the
complaints to 31 March, 2002. Switching was the next main
category at 16 percent.
Ms Jones said the moving of the scheme from
theory to practice had revealed some areas of awkwardness
in the constitution and the commission will be recommending
some changes to the council. The first review of the Code
of Practice is scheduled for August 2002.
Creating awareness of the scheme to consumers
is a key task for the coming year, she said.
"I'm impressed by the attitudes of companies
that have joined the scheme and believe they genuinely want
to provide excellent customer service. As well, they want
to identify where there are gaps in their provision of service
and address them," Ms Jones said.
"I felt electricity was an area that
desperately needed a commission and believed I could make
a difference, which is what attracted me to the role as Commissioner.
"I look forward to providing a sound,
independent complaints resolution service that is valued by
both consumers and member companies."
ENDS
NB: The Electricity Complaints Commission
scheme is designed to create a one-stop-shop where consumers
can get free and independent help with complaints about their
electricity company. The scheme covers electricity lines and
retail companies and so far 26 of the 40 companies have signed
up.
For more information and/or a full copy of
the commissioner's annual report 2002 contact:
Josie Vidal
Publicity/Communications Officer
Electricity Complaints Commission
(04) 914 4526
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