Minister wants to widen powers of telco chief

By PAUL BRISLEN


Communications Minister Paul Swain is considering giving the Telecommunications Commissioner more power to enforce provisions of the Telecommunications Act.

Swain will release a discussion document on fine-tuning the act this month and hopes to put legislation before the House next year.

"It's not a wholesale blue skies review of the act, but I do feel it's time to review its function to make sure it is delivering," he said.

Overall Swain said the act, which he introduced in 2001, was working but some aspects needed to be revisited.

"I would consider giving the commissioner more power of monitoring and enforcement."

The commissioner, Douglas Webb, says his hands are tied on the issue of Telecom's new retail broadband plans as none of the internet providers has asked for him to regulate.

But the ISPs claim they cannot afford to be out of the market for the year or more it would take to produce a regulated service.

Swain said he was aware of the frustration.

"But I'm reluctant to give the commission the power to intervene without being asked. There would be the danger of the commissioner regulating where there was no need."

Swain is also considering how best to tackle the issue of consumer complaints, as there is no formal body for such an issue.

"I'm reluctant to call for the formation of an ombudsman because I can just hear the layers of bureaucracy building up. But perhaps we can look at a unit within the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. I'm open to suggestions."