Regulated industries
We recognise that the situation with COVID-19 in New Zealand is constantly changing and evolving.
This is happening too quickly for us to use our standard regulatory tools to vary any of the regimes that we enforce. As a result, we intend to be pragmatic in our approach to enforcement where companies can demonstrate that any compliance issues have arisen as a consequence of prioritising efforts to protect customers, security of supply and safety or as a consequence of factors entirely outside of the company’s control. We would appreciate all regulated industries keeping us informed of any decisions that they make that may lead them to breach their requirements.
COVID-19 is likely to have further impacts on our work programme and once we have greater clarity on what those impacts are and our response to them, we will post updates here.
We are acutely aware of the pressures on many businesses due to COVID-19 and that we all face a great deal of uncertainty. Our current investigations are continuing, and we are liaising with parties which require additional time to provide information to us. We will manage each investigation on its own merits and continue to evaluate all information that comes to us on a case-by-case basis, including consideration of any challenges businesses have in working with us as they respond to Government directions in relation to working from home for example. If you have any concerns, please get in touch with us at regulation.branch@comcom.govt.nz.
Regulatory reporting processes
We have eased a range of regulatory reporting processes to relieve pressure on those working with these processes. For more information read our letter on 26 March 2020 relating to Part 4.
- Extension of information disclosure deadlines for Part 4 regulated industries – 26 March 2020 pdf, 193.9 KB
Energy networks and airports: industries regulated under Part 4 of the Commerce Act 1986
Industry updates
| Industry | Updates | More information |
| Industry update | Letter to industry – Discounts offered during year one of DPP3 – 24 August 2020 | Open letter outlining how we will treat new or increased discounts offered in-year by EDBs for the first year of the new default price path (DPP3). |
| Part 4 regulated industries | Extension of information disclosure deadlines for Part 4 regulated industries – 26 March 2020 | Open letter of 26 March 2020, that outlined our intention to ease a range of regulatory reporting processes to relieve pressure on industries regulated under Part 4 of the Commerce Act 1986, while they focus on providing essential services. These have formally been given effect through a number of exemptions and amendments to information disclosure and price-quality regulation. These are set out below. |
Information disclosure regulation
Price-quality regulation
Telecommunications: regulated under the Telecommunications Act 2001
Industry updates
Force Majeure
| Industry | Notices | More information |
| Telecommunications | https://www.mbie.govt.nz/ |
Information disclosure exemptions
| Industry | Notices | More information |
| Telecommunications | Response to Chorus' application for exemption from 2019/20 Information disclosure- COVID-19 Response to Ultrafast Fibre's application for exemption from 2019/20 Information disclosure- COVID-19 |