Ombudsman welcomes DBCDE report

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Simon Cohen has welcomed the release of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy’s Reform of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) report.

“I am pleased with the findings that the TIO generally meets the National Benchmarks for industry Ombudsman and that we deal with consumer complaints well,” Ombudsman Simon Cohen said.

“Dealing with consumer complaints is our main role and the report's findings are consistent with our own surveys. The most recent survey – conducted early in 2012 – shows more than 90 per cent of consumers satisfied with the TIO’s handling of their complaint.”

The Ombudsman welcomed the report’s recommendations to increase the compliance incentives for telephone and Internet companies that do not cooperate with the TIO.

“Clearer regulations to deal with non-compliance will increase the consumer protections provided by the TIO,” Mr Cohen said.

The TIO is currently considering other recommendations in the report, including that the scheme take a larger role in dealing with systemic issues, assisting service providers with internal complaint handling processes and promoting consumer awareness of TIO services.

In addition, the report recommends a unitary governance structure through the merger of the TIO Board and Council. Both the Board and Council have indicated that the TIO should move toward the adoption of a unitary governance structure, and work is presently underway to finalise a process to gather views from relevant stakeholders about the structure.