Commission to cover gas complaints

Energy Minister Trevor Mallard today welcomed the launch of the re-branded Electricity and Gas Complaints Commission, which will give gas customers access to a free complaints service.

“The expansion of the commission to cover gas complaints is a very welcome and timely development,” Trevor Mallard said.

“It is really encouraging that consumers with complaints about their gas company will have access to an independent and free complaints service, in the same way that electricity consumers have had since January 2002," said Trevor Mallard.

The scheme also has the additional positive aspect that consumers can take their electricity and gas complaints to the one authority.

The commission worked closely with the Gas Industry Company (GIC), and its forerunner the Gas Industry Steering Group to develop the amalgamated complaints scheme.

The GIC was recently approved as the industry body for the gas sector. As such, it will be able to make recommendations to the Energy Minister on a wide array of industry matters including the making of rules and regulations for gas wholesaling, processing, transmission, distribution and retailing.

"The development of a scheme that enables gas consumers’ complaints to be heard represents an important milestone in the transition to the new gas governance and market arrangements in the post-Maui era," Trevor Mallard said.

"This is one of a number of positive consumer-related initiatives that are provided for in the recently amended Gas Act and required by the Government Policy Statement on Gas Governance released in October 2004."

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