Cost Pass-through Applications

In its Final Decision, the Queensland Competition Authority accepted that in the event of an unforeseen circumstance, service providers may experience material changes in costs which are beyond their control and that these costs could be passed through to consumers within the access period, as this is consistent with what would be expected in a competitive environment.

The Authority has defined such events as:

• a change in taxation or other statutory charges; or
• any other major change in government policy (for example, costs associated with the introduction of full retail competition);
• where the direct costs of the event will have a material effect on the efficient delivery of the Reference Service.