19Priority assistance arrangements

19 Priority assistance arrangements

(1) In this clause, clause 21 and Schedule 4, and the definitions of alternative service, interim priority service, and priority customer in clause 3:

customer means:

(a) a customer of the licensee; or
(b) a person who requests, or has requested, the connection of a STS from the licensee, and to whom the licensee has an obligation to provide a STS or is willing to provide a STS;

but does not include a carrier or a carriage service provider. (2) Subject to this clause, the licensee must implement arrangements for maximising service continuity to priority customers. As part of these arrangements the licensee must: (a) develop, implement and maintain a documented priority assistance policy; and (b) develop, implement and maintain processes, systems and practices to ensure that priority customers can be identified and provided with priority assistance in accordance with the licensee’s priority assistance policy. (3) In developing a priority assistance policy for priority customers under subclause (2) the licensee must: (a) consult with the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and ACMA; and (b) ensure that the priority assistance policy adequately addresses all of the objectives set out in Schedule 4; and (c) review the licensee’s other relevant policies and systems including its Community, Essential and Emergency Service Policy, to ensure that they are consistent with the priority assistance policy.

Note: The licensee’s Community, Essential and Emergency Service Policy is an internal Telstra document, Policy 008 737, January 2002.

(4) The licensee must receive approval from the Minister of its priority assistance policy before it will be taken to have complied with the obligation in paragraph (2)(a), but may implement its policy prior to approval being received. The Minister may, by written notice: (a) require the licensee to make changes to that policy prior to giving his approval; or (b) require the licensee to make changes to the timeframes for implementing that policy. (5) If a priority assistance policy of the licensee has been approved by the Minister the policy may be varied from time to time by: (a) the licensee providing the Minister with a draft variation to the policy and the Minister or his delegate approving that variation; or (b) the Minister giving the licensee a written notice requiring the licensee within a specified period and in specified terms to provide the Minister with a draft variation to the policy and the Minister or his delegate approving that variation.

Note: It is intended that variations of a substantial policy nature require the approval of the Minister. Corrections of a minor administrative or typographical nature can be made by the licensee without approval of the Minister but should be recorded and notified to ACMA.