Summary
For individual applications made to Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW), a fee for service is payable by the applicant to meet the costs associated with assessing and processing an application, and issuing any relevant licences or authorisations.
GMW provides the following high level services under our miscellaneous fees to customers:
- receiving, sorting, receipting and processing customer applications
- amending, renewing, issuing and cancelling licenses
- managing application referrals and submissions
- providing ongoing customer service and support through applications
- liaising with customers, brokers, regulators and other stakeholders to progress and finalise applications
- completing site visits to gather information and assist customers
- investigating customer queries and issues
- assessing applications against all relevant regulations and legislation.
What are the benefits of charging a miscellaneous fee?
Charging a miscellaneous fee means we can deliver appropriately for our customers while ensuring the price appropriately reflects the efficient cost of a transaction.
Customers undertaking a transaction meet the costs involved. Where a particular customer application involves complex circumstances, GMW may request additional payment, to offset the additional assessment costs involved, from the customer if they wish to proceed with the transaction.
Charging a miscellaneous fee also helps us ensure our systems and processes are efficient and customer-friendly, and means we can appropriately resource and train our teams to deliver for our customers.
How GMW determines Miscellaneous Fees and Charges
A “Time and Motion” analysis is undertaken annually by GMW to document the activities, time and costs associated with the provision of services to which miscellaneous fees and charges are applied.
Information is collated by recording the activities and average time spent to complete transactions associated with different fee for service applications.
Staff also review and confirm the times and costs based on previous experience of assessing and processing various applications and transactions.
The application costs identified from this analysis form the basis of setting GMW’s Miscellaneous Fees and Charges (i.e. the fee for service) for our proposed Pricing Submission 2024-28.
