Policies

We care for our customers and make their experience easier.

Our customer service commitments are:

• We'll listen and understand your needs
• We'll keep you informed and do what we say
• We'll communicate clearly, consistently and simply

While we strive to provide a great customer experience, there may be times you feel we haven’t met our obligations or resolved an enquiry to your satisfaction. It’s important to share this feedback with us. As well as doing our best to resolve your concern, we’ll use your feedback to improve our business.

When you contact us with your complaint, please provide as much detail as possible. One of our team members will contact you within 3 business days.

We aim to resolve complaints within 10 business days, unless a more detailed investigation is required.

You can make a complaint by:

• Calling us on 1300 137 008 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)
• Completing our form
• Writing to us at TasNetworks, PO Box 606, MOONAH TAS 7009

If you’re unhappy with the resolution of your complaint, you can ask to have your concerns reviewed at a higher level within TasNetworks, the Minster for Energy or the Energy Ombudsman of Tasmania.

We believe in the fair handling of personal information and have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles under Federal privacy legislation as the standard for the way we handle personal information.

This means:

• We'll only collect personal information necessary for us to conduct our normal business
• We may use or disclose some of that information for our direct marketing purposes
• If the information is to be used for direct marketing purposes, you'll be given the option of not receiving direct marketing materials
• We'll ensure the information we keep is accurate, complete and secure
• You're entitled to request access to the information we hold in relation to you and to have any inaccuracies corrected

Generally, personal information we hold is personal contact details of our customers. We use this information for financial, administrative and safety purposes such as the rendering of accounts, maintenance of energy supply and infrastructure, and inspection of installations. Subject to the exceptions provided for in legislation, we won't disclose your personal information to another person without your consent.

From time to time we may contract certain services relative to the supply and sale of energy. At all times we require all team members and/or contractors with access to your personal information to maintain confidentiality concerning that information.

To access the personal information we hold about you, or if you think we've breached our privacy obligations to you, please contact us using one of the following options.

• Calling us on 1300 137 008 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
• Completing our form
• Writing to us at TasNetworks, PO Box 606, MOONAH TAS 7009

If you request access to your personal information we'll respond as soon as possible. 

We're committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure Modern Slavery is not taking place in our own business or in any of our supply chains.

 

In 2021 we published our first Modern Slavery Statement. We're early in our maturity with a focus on our direct suppliers, and will monitor effectiveness to improve our approach. In future, we'll widen our risk assessment and controls to indirect suppliers.

This commitment ensures we can make a difference and reduce modern slavery globally, particularly through collaboration to build better solutions, encouraging decent work opportunities and sustainable growth.

TasNetworks acknowledges our responsibility to ensure that standards relating to people, the environment and the communities in which we operate are maintained and continuously improved throughout our conduct of procurement activities.

This Standard outlines TasNetworks’ principles, commitments and approach to responsibly source products and services and to ensure that TasNetworks and its suppliers:

• focuses in areas of employment and economic participation opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the communities we operate in;
• consider the impacts of our operations on the social and environmental sustainability of the communities in which we operate;
• provide our employees with a safe work environment, and the appropriate equipment, training and support;
• operate according to sound environmental management principles including reducing carbon emissions;
• adopt strategies to avoid unnecessary consumption and manage demand;
• select products and services which have lower environmental impacts across their life cycle and create demand for recycled (or biodegradable) products;
• manage our employees and upstream service providers ethically by upholding human rights, fair labour management practices and diversity and inclusion principles, and addressing modern slavery, in line with TasNetworks’ commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; and
• Provide products and services that represent good quality and value, are fit for purpose, and comply with all legal requirements and standards.

We routinely make information available that'll assist you in understanding what it is we do and how we do it.

If you can't find the information via one of the means below contact us and we may be able to assist you in finding it or we may give it to you. If it's not freely available, we'll assist you to make an application for an assessed disclosure that complies with the Right to Information Act 2009.

You may find information by:

• Searching this website
• Looking in our annual reports and publications
• Calling us on 1300 137 008 or submitting an enquiry

If you’re unable to find what you’re looking for, you can make an application for assessed disclosure. Before making an application for assessed disclosure, we will make available general details of the information in our possession if you request or if it’s otherwise appropriate for us to do so. To make an application for assessed disclosure, follow the steps below.

1. Complete, print and sign our Right to Information Application Form. If you choose to not use the form, please note your application must be made in writing and include the information requested in the form 
2.  Applications are to be accompanied by an application fee, which is currently $44.50 and indexed on 1 July of each year in accordance with the Fee Units Act 1997. Please make cheques payable to "Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd"
3. You can apply to have the fee waived if you're able to give us information that shows the information sought is intended to be used for a purpose of general public interest or benefit; you're a Member of Parliament and the application is in connection with your official duties; you’re a journalist acting in connection with your professional capacity; or you're in financial hardship (we usually ask to see evidence you receive a Centrelink or a Veterans Affairs payment)
4. Address your application to: Right to Information Officer, TasNetworks, PO Box 606, MOONAH TAS 7009 or RTIOfficer@tasnetworks.com.au.

What do we do with your application?

We'll check your application to make sure we have the information we need and you have paid the application fee (or we will waive the fee). If we don't believe we're best placed to provide you with the information, we may transfer your application to another public authority. Before your application is accepted, we may need to contact you about your application to help us understand your request or refine the scope of your request.

Once we have done these steps an officer will assess your application against the Right to Information Act 2009 and let you know the outcome in writing.

You'll be notified of the decision as soon as practicable, but in no more than 20 working days of the application being accepted. If your request is complex or for a large amount of information we may ask you to give us more time. If there’s a need to consult with a third party, more time is automatically given and we'll let you know the outcome as soon as practicable, but no later than 40 working days. We'll let you know if this is happening.

If the application or part of the application is refused, we’ll provide the reason(s) for the refusal as part of the decision, along with details on the right to seek a review. This is done by writing to: Right to Information Officer, TasNetworks, PO Box 606, MOONAH TAS 7009 or RTIOfficer@tasnetworks.com.au.

If we don’t get back to you in the timeframe allowed then we're taken to have refused your application and you're able to make an application for review by the Energy Ombudsman of Tasmania

We're committed to the highest standard of conduct and facilitating the making of disclosures of improper or corrupt conduct or detrimental actions. 
 

Changes to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) and Tax Administration Act 1953 (Cth) introduce additional whistleblower protections at the Federal level.

The changes create a dual system of whistleblower protections at the Federal and State levels, which have the potential to overlap due to similarity in the types of disclosures that are able to be made under each regime. The State regime is governed by the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2002 (Tas).

Under the Corporations Act, TasNetworks is required to have and publish a policy which addresses the Corporations Act whistleblower requirements.

In mid-November, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) published a detailed guidance note on the requirements for whistleblower policies to comply with the Corporations Act. There are extensive policy requirements set out in the guidance note.

There is still a level of uncertainty as to how the dual regime will work in practice (for example, where a whistleblower seeks protections under both regimes). In November 2020 the Tasmanian Ombudsman’s office published updated Model Procedures  and Guidelines  which can be accessed at Ombudsman Tasmania.

As a result of the recommendations, TasNetworks has issued its own Model Procedures which were approved by the Ombudsman in April 2021. Both our Whistleblower policy and Model Procedures 2021 can be viewed below.

At TasNetworks, the Safety is at the heart of what we do. The safety of our people, the community and the environment is about raising awareness and focusing on behaviours to continually improve the way we work.

Our Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) goals are:

• No harm to our people and the public
• Minimise the impact of our activities on the environment and cultural heritage.

We will actively engage and consult with our people, customers and other relevant stakeholders to achieve our HSE objectives. Achieving our HSE goals requires ongoing and unwavering commitment from all team members and contractors.

Our Code applies to all our people: the Board, leaders, team members, contractors and subcontractors. 

Under the Code our people commit to:

• Our customers – We care for our customers and make their experience easier
• Our people – We keep safe, building trusting relationships, and enable our people to deliver value
• Our business – We manage our assets to deliver safe and reliable services, while transforming our business
• Our owners – We operate our business to deliver sustainable shareholder outcomes

 

We aim to recruit and retain team members from many parts of our community. This policy recognises the individuality our people bring to their role and how recognising and valuing this difference through the promotion of diversity in our business and processes assists in delivering engaged team members who feel part of a team.

We're committed to valuing this diversity to strengthen our business both culturally and economically.

We have accounts on Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. We strive to create safe, honest and informative communities in an environment that respects the opinions and values of all. 

Quality applies to everything we do and plays a key role in the way we deliver today and create a better tomorrow. Our Quality Policy supports our commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement in the services we offer.