Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) The functions of the VET Student Loans Ombudsman are as follows:
(a) to conduct investigations, and make recommendations and other reports, under this Part in relation to the following:
(i) VET loan assistance;
(ii) compliance by VET student loan scheme providers with the VET Student Loans Act 2016 , the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and any legislative instruments under either of those Acts;
(b) to give VET student loan scheme providers advice and training about the best practice for the handling of complaints made to them by VET students in relation to VET loan assistance;
(c) to develop and promote, and to review from time to time, a code of practice relating to the following:
(i) the provision of services to VET students by VET student loan scheme providers in relation to VET loan assistance;
(ii) the handling of complaints made by VET students to VET student loan scheme providers in relation to VET loan assistance;
(ca) to make recommendations, to the Secretary of the Department administered by the Minister administering the Higher Education Support Act 2003 , about the re - crediting of the HELP balances of particular persons or classes of persons under clauses 46A and 46AA of Schedule 1A of that Act;
(d) to perform any other function conferred on the VET Student Loans Ombudsman by this Act or another Act, or a legislative instrument made under this Act or another Act.
Note: The VET Student Loans Ombudsman may conduct an investigation in relation to a complaint, or on his or her own initiative (see section 20ZO).
(2) In developing or reviewing a code of practice for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c), the VET Student Loans Ombudsman may consult with the following:
(a) VET student loan scheme providers ;
(b) vocational education and training industry groups;
(c) vocational education and training student bodies;
(d) Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies and other bodies with responsibilities in relation to vocational education and training, including the following:
(i) the Department responsible for the administration of the VET Student Loans Act 2016 ;
(ii) the National VET Regulator within the meaning of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 ;
(iii) State and Territory bodies with responsibility for registering vocational education and training providers.
(3) A code of practice developed for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) is not a legislative instrument.
(4) VET loan assistance means:
(a) a VET student loan within the meaning of the VET Student Loans Act 2016 ; or
(b) VET FEE - HELP assistance within the meaning of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 .
Note: This Part does not prevent actions taken by a Department, the Secretary of a Department or a Minister in relation to the provision of VET loan assistance from being investigated by the Commonwealth Ombudsman under provisions of this Act other than this Part: see section 20ZZA.