Energy - Consumer Action Law Centre

Regulatory framework for new embedded networks

CALC is supportive of the AEMC’s proposed regulatory framework for new embedded networks, as equity in consumer protections should not be dependent on the business model of the supplier of energy. I...

Energy pricing under the Victorian Default Officer must ensure fairness for consumers

As part of its response to pressure to curb energy prices and address inequality within Victoria’s energy market, the Victorian Government recently introduced the Victorian Default Offer (VDO). The V...

Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection regime for solar panels in Victoria

Reliable, affordable, renewable energy has helped many Australians take back control of their power prices. Yet as the solar industry booms, consumer protection has not kept up. More needs to be done...

Key Findings: Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the Consumer Protection Regime for Solar Panels in Victoria

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has released the key findings of its latest report, Sunny Side Up which focuses on the urgent need to strengthen the consumer protection regime for solar p...

It’s time to clean up energy market pricing for all Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) draft advice to the Victorian Government about the default regulated price for electricity, but urges re...

ESC Compliance and enforcement policy draft decision

We support the ESC changing its compliance and enforcement policy to reflect a risk-based, intelligence-led, outcome focused approach. The ESC must be able to transparently demonstrate that it is effe...

Helping customers engage confidently in the retail energy market draft decision

We support changes to regulation that will facilitate simple ways of resolving issues with estimated billing. While we support making consistent factsheets for energy offers that are easier to compreh...

Victorian households must have protected and simple access to a fair price for energy

We strongly support the ESC’s work to implement the VDO as a priority. Victorian households must have protected and simple access to a fair price for an essential service. In the period without price...

Submission: Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct Bill) 2018

Appropriate responses to misconduct or consumer harm identified as part of ongoing electricity price monitoring

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Senate Economics Committee inquiry on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibited Energy Market Misconduct Bill) 2018. We support the Bill, which will allo...

Submission: Consultation Draft Behind the Meter Distributed Energy Resources Provider Code

Consumer Action has provided feedback on the Consultation Draft Behind the Meter Distributed Energy Resources Provider Code. We consider: the name of the code should be readily understood by the...

ACCC monitoring of the electricity supply in the National Energy Market discussion paper

We welcome the ACCC’s ongoing inquiry into the prices, profits and margins in the supply of electricity in the NEM. A plethora of reports have established that the electricity market is not operating...

Energy Security Board Strategic Energy Plan consultation on proposed metrics

We support the ESB developing a set of outcomes and objectives and associated tangible metrics that will measure whether these outcomes and objectives are achieved. We also support the metrics that ha...

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule Determination

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule...

Submission: ESC Draft Decision – Building trust through new customer entitlements in the retail energy market

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Commission’s Draft Decision, Building trust through new customer entitlements in the retail energy market (D...

Treasury Laws Amendment (Improving the Energy Efficiency of Rental Properties) Bill 2018

We generally support the Bill because the benefits of modifications that improve the energy efficiency of rental housing greatly exceed the costs. We agree that the tax code should not present a barri...

Why are Victorians paying too much for energy?

This is a simple question with many complicated and at times contested answers. But there are a few things that everyone can agree on. Retail charges represent a large component of our energy bil...

A basic service offer is a quick fix for the energy mess

This piece from Zac Gillam (Senior Policy Officer) originally appeared in The Age. It was fascinating listening to the Premier attack the price gouging of energy retailers in Victoria, more so...

Solar energy rebate a win for households – now for fair energy tariffs

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed a new Victorian government solar energy rebate program for 650,000 households, saying that solar energy on homes can help people save on power costs. “A reba...

Energy Retail Code obligations for exempt sellers under the General Exemption Order 2017: Draft Decision

Consumer Action has made this joint submission alongside VCOSS. Embedded networks have presented serious difficulties for energy consumers for far too long, and the General Exemption Order 2017 is...

National Energy Guarantee Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper – Commonwealth Elements

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Guarantee (Guarantee) Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper for Commonwealth Elements (Co...

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening protections for customers in hardship) Rule 2018 consultation paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening protections for customers in hardship) Rule 2018 Consultatio...

AER Powers Civil Penalty Regime Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) Powers and Civil Penalty Regime Consultation Paper, published by the Stand...

Payment difficulty framework amendments to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline draft decision

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the payment difficulty framework amendments to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline draft decision...

Energy Market Commission confirms the deregulated energy market has not delivered for Victorians

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has admitted that competition among energy retailers is not delivering ‘expected benefits’ in its annual retail energy competition review. The Victor...

Draft AER Benefit Change Notice Guidelines – Submission

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to AER’s Draft Benefit Change Notice Guidelines (Draft Guidelines). This policy area is well trodden ground for Co...

Relief for Victorians struggling to pay essential service bills

The Victorian Government has announced an increase to the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) with $21.7 million allocated in the upcoming budget. Victorians households are currently eligible to apply...

NEM Data Strategy Consultation Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Energy Security Board (ESB) Consultation Paper regarding the development of the NEM Data Strategy. Consumer...

AEMC National Energy Retail Amendment (Preventing discounts on inflated energy rates) Rule 2018 Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) National Energy Retail Amendment (Preventing discounts on inflate...

Image of wind turbines denoting a submission about energy

Consumer Action Submission: Developing a reference price methodology for Victoria’s energy market

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) Consultation Paper regarding the development of a methodology to determine...

Submission: DELWP Consultation Paper – Response to the Bipartisan Independent Review of the Electricity and Gas Retail Markets in Victoria

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the government's Interim Response to the Independent Review of the Electricity and Gas Retail Markets...

Submission: Facilitating access to consumers’ energy data: Houston Kemp Draft Report

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the draft report prepared by Houston Kemp, Facilitating access to consumer electricity data (Houston Kemp Report)....

Submission: Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at risk of financial hardship

Benefit Change Notice Guidelines Issues Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) benefit change notice guidelines issues paper. As stated in previous sub...

Consumer Action submission to Draft Retail Pricing Information Guidelines

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Draft AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines (Draft Guidelines). Consumer Action has appreciated the oppo...

Victorian State Budget Submission 2018-19

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a submission to Victoria's Department of Treasury and Finance during the 2018-19 Pre-Budget period. Consumer Action has focused this submission on...

Submission: Consumer Action submission to National Energy Guarantee Draft Design Consultation Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Energy Security Board’s (ESB) Draft Design Consultation Paper: National Energy Guarantee (Consultation Paper)....

ESC draft audit guideline for energy businesses

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) draft audit guideline for energy businesses (the draft guideline)....

ESC draft charter of consultation and regulatory practice

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) Draft Charter of Consultation and Regulatory Practice. It is im...

Minimum electricity feed-in tariffs to apply from 1 July 2018

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission in response to the ESC’s draft decision on the minimum Feed-In Tariff (FiT) to apply for the 2018-19 financial year. We supp...

Fixed benefit periods notification obligations for energy retailers – Draft Decision

Consumer Action appreciates the Essential Services Commission working towards better outcomes from the energy market with a focus on the long-term interests of Victorians. We support the proposed chan...

Consumer Action response to the release of the Essential Services Commission Victorian Energy Market Report 2016-17

Too many people are doing it tough as energy retailers fail to give their customers a fair price and a fair go at staying connected to essential services. The Essential Services Commission (ESC) toda...

Submission in response to the ACCC retail electricity pricing inquiry preliminary report

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on ACCC Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry: Preliminary Report (Preliminary Report) for this inquiry. The ACCC has undertaken a welcome and extensiv...

Knock it off

Download the full report here [PDF] https://youtu.be/j43zE3HBoFk...

Submission in response to the Draft Guidance Note – Payment difficulty and disconnection

We acknowledge the significant work the Essential Services Commission has undertaken in drafting a comprehensive Guidance Note focused on customer outcomes. With expansion and redrafting in some areas...

Submission in response to Customer Price Information – Issues Paper

Consumer Action is happy to contribute to the development of materials to improve consumer engagement in the energy market—with the important caveat that we do not believe consumer engagement initiati...

Turnbull’s energy policy won’t stop energy retailers from price gouging, but a Basic Service Offer will

Gerard Brody, CEO - Consumer Action Law Centre This week it was reported that energy bills for an average Victorian household have skyrocketed to a shocking $3,655 a year. The ACCC confirms tha...

Submission in response to National Energy Retail Amendment (Notification of the end of a fixed benefit period) Rule 2017 Rule Change Consultation Paper

The strategies involved in the proposed Rule Change, and in previous work outlined in the Commission’s consultation paper, reflect policymakers’ continued pursuit of trying to improve the effectivenes...

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