Registry Ongoing Costs

Date Published: Tue, 03/02/2009 - 09:13 Author: Tristan Meo

Rules 24 through 26 of the Switching Rules provide for ongoing fees to be paid by retailers to Gas Industry Co on a monthly basis to meet the registry ongoing costs. The registry ongoing costs include the costs:

payable by Gas Industry Co to the registry operator in respect of that year; and
of Gas Industry Co associated with the registry and its role under the Switching Rules during that year.

Gas Industry Co has determined that the registry ongoing costs should exclude any overhead costs or policy work resulting from operational activities under the Switching Rules. Any such work is to be funded from the Gas Industry Co Levy. The registry ongoing costs therefore only relate to other direct external costs in connection with Gas Industry Co administering the Switching Rules.

For each year following the first year or part year of operation, Gas Industry Co must estimate and publish on its website, at least two months prior to the beginning of the year, a breakdown of the estimated registry ongoing costs for that year. As soon as practicable after the end of the year, Gas Industry Co must determine and publish on its website a breakdown of the actual registry ongoing costs for that year. The breakdown of actual and estimated costs are provided below for the relevant years.

Estimated ongoing costs for FY2013 (1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013)

Cost categories	Estimated annual cost
Service provider - base fee	$259,105
Service provider - DR & escrow arrangements	$12,000
External advice/development	$20,000
Total ongoing costs	$291,105

Estimated ongoing costs for FY2012 (1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012)

Cost categories	Estimated annual cost
Service provider - base fee	$255,025
Service provider - DR/escrow arrangements	$12,000
External advice/development	$25,000
Total registry ongoing costs	$292,025

Note: until mid-2011, ongoing registry costs were estimated and recovered based on calendar years. From July 2011 the timing changed to align with the Gas Industry Co financial year.

Ongoing costs for FY2011 (1 January 2011 - 30 June 2011)

Cost categories	Estimated	Actual
Service provider - base fee	$125,674	$124,243
Service provider - disaster recovery arrangements	$4,000	$4,200
External advice	$20,000	$10,238
Total registry ongoing costs	$149,674	$138,681
Recovered	$142,695
Over recovery		$4,014

Change of "payment year"

On 8 April 2011 Gas Industry Co notified gas registry participants that the payment year was to be changed from a calendar year to align with the Gas Industry Co financial year. The notice can be found here. This change required that the estimated ongoing costs for the six month period to 30 June 2011 be published and notified.