15Accreditation of service providers

15 Accreditation of service providers

(1) The Minister must, by legislative instrument, formulate a scheme for the accreditation of entities as service providers. The scheme is to be known as the accreditation scheme.

Note 1: Entity is defined by section 4.

Note 2: Accreditation means that the entity is eligible to be engaged as a contracted service provider under section 20.

(2) The accreditation scheme must empower the Minister to make decisions: (a) accrediting entities; and (b) cancelling the accreditation of entities. (3) The accreditation scheme may make provision for fees to be charged in respect of the making of applications under the scheme. (4) The accreditation scheme may make provision for an entity to surrender its accreditation to the Minister. (5) The accreditation scheme must make provision for and in relation to the keeping of a register by the Minister of entities accredited under the accreditation scheme. In particular, the accreditation scheme may make provision for the following: (a) the register to be kept in such form and manner as the Minister directs; (b) persons to inspect the register; (c) persons to obtain information contained in the register; (d) fees to be charged for such an inspection or providing such information. (6) Subsections (2), (3), (4) and (5) do not, by implication, limit subsection (1). (7) The Minister must give a free copy of the accreditation scheme to any person who requests a copy.