Best practice guidance on dispute resolution
This section has best practice guidance for reviewing existing dispute resolution schemes and developing new schemes.
On this page
Who the guidance is for
This guidance is intended for government employees with policy responsibility for an industry or sector. It may also be of interest to private dispute resolution providers, practitioners and members of the public.
It is not intended to give all the answers or provide a template for the design and structure of a new scheme. Disputes are unique to their context and require bespoke solutions for effective resolution.
How does it relate to other guidance?
The guidance is intended to supplement the procedures and requirements of policy and legislative development already described in major government documents including:
- the Cabinet Manual(external link)
- Guide to Cabinet’s Impact Analysis Requirements(external link)
- Legislation Design and Advisory Committee Guidelines(external link).
It provides advice on the policy and operational issues related specifically to dispute resolution.
In this section
Understanding dispute resolution
This section will help you gather vital information about the underlying issues driving complaints and disputes, and the circumstances under which they arise and are resolved.
Assessing a dispute resolution scheme
This section provides a principles-based framework for assessing whether an existing scheme is fit for purpose and consistent with best practice.
Developing a dispute resolution scheme
This section will guide you through decisions about the main elements of a new dispute resolution scheme.