Gas Supply Act 1996

The Tribunal may impose a monetary penalty on the holder of an authorisation.

The Tribunal may, instead of imposing a monetary penalty, require the holder of the authorisation to take such action as the Tribunal considers appropriate in the circumstances, including (for example) requiring the sending of information to customers or the publication of notices in newspapers.

The Tribunal may not require action to be taken under subsection (2) by the holder of an authorisation if the cost of that action would exceed the monetary penalty that the Tribunal could impose under this section on the holder.

If the Tribunal requires information to be sent to a customer under subsection (2), the holder of the authorisation may satisfy that requirement by sending the information to the customer with the next account or bill to be sent to the customer by the holder or, if the holder is sending other information to that customer before the next account or bill, with that other information.

Action may be taken under this section only if the holder of the authorisation has knowingly contravened the conditions of the authorisation.

The monetary penalty that the Tribunal may impose under this section must not exceed $20,000 for the first day on which the contravention concerned occurs and a further $1,000 for each subsequent day (not exceeding 30 days) on which the contravention continues.

The Tribunal must not take action under this section unless—

the Tribunal has considered whether the contravention has been or is likely to be the subject of any other penalty or action or any claim for compensation, and is satisfied that it is nevertheless appropriate to take action under this section, and

the Tribunal has considered the action that the holder of the authorisation has taken or is likely to take in respect of the contravention and the cost to the holder in taking that action, and is satisfied that it is nevertheless appropriate to take action under this section.

The Tribunal is required to consider the seriousness of the contravention concerned in determining to impose a monetary penalty under this section.

The Tribunal must not take action under this section in respect of a contravention if the Minister has already taken action under section 13 in respect of the contravention.

Nothing in this section affects the Minister’s powers under section 13 in respect of a contravention, whether or not the Tribunal has already taken action under this section in respect of the contravention.