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Client Service Charter
Our service standards
In carrying out our work we will:
- at all times be honest, ethical and professional;
- be helpful and courteous to our clients and listen to what they tell us;
- endeavour to use plain English in all of our communications;
- place emphasis on open and transparent processes;
- respond promptly to requests for advice and information and provide information that is, to the best of our knowledge, complete and accurate at the time;
- consult widely to give stakeholders an opportunity for direct input into the fisheries management decision making process;
- ensure that clients are able to discuss the decisions which affect them with someone who is able to understand and respond to their concerns;
- inform clients about decisions that will affect them; and
- impartially apply relevant legislation, policy and guidelines.
We aim to provide a high level of service to all our clients by:
- responding to inquiries and messages promptly;
- replying to correspondence that requires a response within 15 working days from the date of receipt in AFMA. If your inquiry is likely to take longer to deal with we will contact you in writing or by telephone to advise you of progress;
- including a date, contact name, direct telephone number, email address (where relevant) and file reference number in all correspondence we send to you; and
- informing you about decisions that will affect you.
In relation to services that we provide to our industry clients, we will:
When processing Commonwealth licensing and entitlements transactions:
- process routine applications for leases, transfers and other dealings affecting fishing concessions within seven days of receipt, subject to you supplying us with everything we need to complete the transaction and to clearance being obtained from other State licensing authorities, where relevant. Where applications are more complex, we will write to you within seven working days of receipt to confirm receipt of your application and advise an expected response date. We will maintain contact with you and continue to advise you of the status of your application; and
- advise you of your rights of review and avenues for appeal, if applicable.
In collecting and disseminating catch, effort and other information through our Logbook Program:
- provide logbooks relating to existing logbook programs within seven days of receiving a request to do so;
- within ten days of receiving a request to do so, provide owners of fishing information with compilations of the information that they have provided to us. This service will necessarily depend on the quantity and completeness of the databases on which the fishing information is stored. If we are unable to respond to your request within that time, we will inform you as soon as possible;
- provide compilations of logbook data, subject to confidentiality arrangements, within 45 days of receiving a request to do so. If we are unable to respond to your request within that time, we will inform you as soon as possible; and
- protect the confidentiality of information recorded in logbooks and not disclose that information unless authorised or required to do so by law or in consultation with the information provider.
When providing professional Observer services to domestic and foreign fishing vessels operating within the AFZ and subject to arrangements for the nature of the observer's functions being satisfactorily addressed beforehand:
- provide trained, competent observers for domestic vessels within ten days of a request to do so and within 21 days of requests for vessels in foreign ports;
- ensure that our observers:
- forward samples collected while at sea within three days of returning to port; and
- provide reports about their activities and observations at sea within five weeks of returning to AFMA following completion of a cruise. This timeframe may be subject to change where observers have collected large amounts of data
Page last updated
15 July, 2005
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