CONTENTS
WHO WE ARE ................................................................................................................................3
Access Canberra’s role ..............................................................................................................3
SERVICE DELIVERY .........................................................................................................................4
Service levels .............................................................................................................................4
Advice, decisions and actions ................................................................................................4
Conduct..................................................................................................................................4
Feedback and improvement ..................................................................................................4
Service design principles ...........................................................................................................5
Principles................................................................................................................................5
FEEDBACK AND COMPLAINTS .......................................................................................................6
Service delivery .........................................................................................................................6
General feedback...................................................................................................................6
Management of information .................................................................................................6
Responses ..............................................................................................................................6
Complaints.................................................................................................................................7
Complaints about our service delivery ..................................................................................7
Complaints about the conduct of our staff ...........................................................................7
Regulatory matters and complaints ..........................................................................................7
Policy and legislation .............................................................................................................7
Regulatory complaints and investigations ............................................................................7
Complaints about our decisions ............................................................................................8
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT .......................................................................9
Principles ...................................................................................................................................9
Risk-based ..............................................................................................................................9
Effective .................................................................................................................................9
Constructive ...........................................................................................................................9
Accountability ........................................................................................................................9
Transparency .........................................................................................................................9
Timeliness ..............................................................................................................................9
Response model ......................................................................................................................10
Governance .............................................................................................................................10
Committees .........................................................................................................................10
Compliance frameworks for Specific regulatory approaches .............................................10
Regulatory toolkit ....................................................................................................................11
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WHO WE ARE
Access Canberra’s role
Access Canberra is a one-stop shop for ACT Government customer and regulatory services.
We provide an easy, streamlined way to access government information and undertake
transactions with the ACT Government.
Access Canberra is committed to delivering excellent, integrated services for ACT businesses,
community groups and individuals seeking service, support, protection and advice from the
ACT Government on a range of matters including:
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Building, land and lease regulation
General and municipal services
Environment protection and water regulation
Fair trading and registration, inspection and regulatory services
Racing and gaming regulation
Workplace regulation
Transport regulation and licensing
Road safety regulation and driver and vehicle licensing
Occupational and community licensing
Public health protection and regulation (food services)
Public unleased land regulation (permits) and
Utilities, electricity and natural gas, water and sewerage industry technical regulation.
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SERVICE DELIVERY
The level of service we aim to deliver and principles for service design.
Access Canberra aims to deliver superior customer service.
Service levels
Advice, decisions and actions
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We will help you to access government services, coordinate approvals and keep you
up to date if you are waiting on a decision.
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We will give you clear and comprehensive advice, and make it easy to understand
what is needed to use a government service, how you can obtain approval, and what
the reasons are for our decisions or actions.
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We will innovate, reduce red tape and be consistent in our advice, decisions and
actions.
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We will educate you about your legal obligations, encourage fair trading and ensure
high standards of health, public safety and environmental protection.
Conduct
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We will be professional, effective and efficient in our dealings with you and will
demonstrate respect, integrity, collaboration and innovation.
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We will be honest and treat you fairly and with respect and expect the same from you.
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We will stop your interaction with us if you are threatening or display inappropriate
behaviour and we accept that you may choose to do the same with us.
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We will resolve disputes without litigation where possible and conduct ourselves as
model litigants in any actions.
Feedback and improvement
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We welcome ideas and suggestions that help us to review our services.
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We will continuously seek to improve our services to make it easier and better for you
to interact with us.
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Service design principles
The following Service Principles are used to guide the design and delivery of services in Access
Canberra.
Principles
User-centred – We will understand customer and government needs and create a balanced,
seamless end to end experience.
Simplified – We will ensure services are streamlined, logical and transparent, reduce
administrative burden on users and are easy to understand and easy to use.
Inclusive – We will make services accessible to all members of our community but use a
digital first approach where appropriate and involve users in design.
Connected – We will ensure services are effective and joined up so customers tell their story
once and will collaborate across service providers to achieve this
Sustainable – We will continuously improve to innovate, provide value and reduce cost
because it will help us provide better services into the future.
Supported – We will employ staff who are accountable, responsive and skilled to ensure that
the customer’s experience with us continues to meet expectations and needs.
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FEEDBACK AND COMPLAINTS
How service delivery and regulatory feedback and complaints can be made and
will be managed.
Access Canberra aims to be efficient and effective in its operations.
Service delivery
General feedback
Access Canberra is committed to providing excellent service. We value the feedback we
receive about our service delivery and will use it to continually improve our service and
performance.
You can provide general feedback by:
 using our online correspondence form
 calling us on 13 22 81
 writing to us at:
Access Canberra Customer Services
GPO Box 158
CANBERRA ACT 2601
 visiting an Access Canberra shopfront
Management of information
If you provide your contact details, it will allow us to respond to you or contact you for more
information. However, you can choose to remain anonymous. Feedback supplied
anonymously still provides us with useful information that can help make improvements to
our services.
Any information you provide to Access Canberra will be managed in accordance with privacy
and record keeping requirements. Feedback will also be monitored to identify trends, and
improve agency capability and services.
Responses
Feedback will be acknowledged within two working days. Where possible, we will strive to
resolve a non-regulatory complaint within 10 working days from the date the complaint was
received. Where the matter complained about is complex, it is expected that the matter will
be resolved within 20 business days unless otherwise advised. Where the response will take
longer you will be kept informed.
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Complaints
Complaints about our service delivery
Access Canberra staff are committed to delivering superior customer service. If you have a
complaint about the service you received, we will try to resolve your complaint at first
contact. If required, your complaint will go to a Manager, or person of appropriate level for
assessment and resolution. You will be advised of the outcome of your complaint.
Complaints about the conduct of our staff
Access Canberra staff will act professionally and without bias. If you have a complaint about
the professional conduct of an Access Canberra staff member please refer your concerns to
us. Your complaint will be treated in confidence and investigated in accordance with this
policy and ACT Public Service guidelines.
Regulatory matters and complaints
Policy and legislation
Feedback about a suggested change in policy or explanation of policy or legislation is
welcomed and will be managed the same way that feedback about service delivery is, as
described above.
Regulatory complaints and investigations
Access Canberra welcomes complaints about the conduct of the individuals, businesses or
industries that we regulate.
Given the often complex nature of such complaints, we will keep you informed about the
progress of your complaint. All regulatory complaints are assessed in accordance with the
principles outlined in this document.
You can lodge a complaint by:
 using our online correspondence form
 calling us on 13 22 81
 writing to us at:
Access Canberra Customer Services
GPO Box 158
CANBERRA ACT 2601
 visiting an Access Canberra shopfront
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If your complaint requires immediate action by Access Canberra because the conduct may
cause harm to life, health or the environment please refer your concerns to:
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Work Safe (for emergencies):
o during office hours ph (02) 6207 3000
o after hours phone 0419 120 028 for Work, Health & Safety and Dangerous
Substances
Health Protection Services phone (02) 6205 1700
Environment Protection phone 13 22 81
Complaints about our decisions
If your complaint relates to the regulatory decision of an Access Canberra regulator, you have
the right of appeal. Please refer to the appeal information provided to you. If this information
was not provided please advise us via our feedback contact options.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may request an internal review. Internal reviews
will be considered by a senior officer who was not involved in the original response.
If you are dissatisfied with the internal review, you may contact the Australian Capital
Territory Ombudsman:
ACT Ombudsman
GPO Box 442
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au
Phone: 1300 362 072
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REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND
ENFORCEMENT
The approach we take to our regulatory decisions and actions
Access Canberra aims to adopt the right regulatory response for the right situation.
Principles
The key principles underpinning our regulatory activities and decisions are:
Risk-based - We will apply a risk-based compliance approach to ensure that our resources are
targeted to where the risks of harm, unsafe practices or misconduct are the greatest. Access
Canberra will prioritise its actions based on a range of considerations, including the following:
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Conduct that causes harm or risk to life, health or the environment
Conduct that is systemic and is likely to have a detrimental effect on the community
and/or the environment
Conduct that demonstrates a blatant disregard for the law.
Proportional – We will have regard for the current harm/risk, the experience and past
conduct of a person or business when determining our regulatory response.
Effective - We will apply the appropriate compliance tool to ensure that our regulatory
interventions are responsive to the relevant circumstances and will achieve the desired
outcomes. We will aim for consistent enforcement outcomes for similar conduct.
Constructive - We will provide advice, guidance and support to help business and the
community comply with relevant laws.
Accountability - We are willing to explain our decisions whilst protecting the integrity of our
investigations. We will balance confidentiality requirements and the need to inform
businesses and the community about our regulatory actions.
Transparency - We will demonstrate impartiality and act with integrity. The community and
those who we regulate will know what to expect when engaging with us.
Timeliness - We will conduct our investigations, compliance activities and enforcement action
as efficiently as possible to limit disruption to business operations and to provide certainty
about our actions. We will be adaptable to responding to new priorities, technologies and
changing environments.
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Response model
The diagram below illustrates Access Canberra’s approach to fostering compliance and
management of non-compliance. Access Canberra encourages compliance through education
but will apply escalating enforcement actions to those that demonstrate a disregard for the
law and whose conduct has, or is likely, to cause harm to consumers, business, the
community or the environment
Widespread
or
significant
Deliberate
or systemic
Harm
Conduct
Minimal or
none
Accidental /
one –off
Risk Based Response Criteria
Regulatory Response
Governance
Our regulatory activities are undertaken within a governance framework to ensure efficient
and effective allocation of resources and adherence to our guiding principles.
Committees
Access Canberra operates several committees which oversight regulatory activity to ensure
consistency of approach. The Regulatory Complaint Assessment Committee determines
appropriate case prioritisation and treatment for regulatory complaints. The decisions of the
committee are underpinned by our risk-based principles. The Regulatory Enforcement
Committee considers the most appropriate regulatory action at an important stage of, or the
conclusion of an investigation. This may include taking no further action.
Compliance frameworks for Specific regulatory approaches
Access Canberra has documented a variety of compliance and enforcement frameworks for
sector-specific regulatory activities and industries. Refer to our website
www.act.gov.au/accessCBR for these including for parking, workplace and environment
protection, food safety, construction, occupational and other regulatory schemes.
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Regulatory toolkit
To ensure that we achieve the right regulatory approach for the right situation and provide
rigorous support for our statutory office holders we will draw on a range of activities and
powers as allowed to encourage and enforce compliance with the laws that we regulate.
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