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...
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)....
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...
Proposal to re-regulate energy prices confirms Victorians have been gouged for too long
Victorian energy retailers would be required to provide a new 'basic service offer' at a price that will be regulated by the Essential Services Commission, if a proposal by the independent review led...
Prime Minister, you’ve talked to the energy retailers, now talk to those that pay the bill
Gerard Brody, Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull summoned the chief executives of the nation’s largest power companies to Canberra today, insisting they provide reli...
Submission to ACCC inquiry into retail electricity supply and pricing Issues Paper
Electricity has traditionally been a regulated essential service that occupied a stable portion of Australian consumers' living expenses. Until relatively recently, they have not had to exert time or...
Consumer Action supports removal of Limited Merits Review
In response to the Federal Government’s announcement of several reforms in the energy market on 20 June 2017: Announcement that the Federal Government will remove Limited Merits Review (LMR) by leg...
Submission: AEMC Governance Amendment Bill 2017
Consumer Action was one of a number consumer advocacy groups that made a joint submission to the Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets recommending the Energy Council underta...
Submission: ESC’s Payment Difficulty Framework Draft Decision
Consumer Action and the Financial and Consumer Rights Council welcome the opportunity to comment on the Essential Services ESC Victoria’s (ESC) new draft decision for its Payment Difficulties Framewor...
Consumer Action responds to Finkel
In response to the release of the Independent Review of the Future Security of the National Energy Market (the Finkel Blueprint), Consumer Action Law Centre makes the following comments: Recommenda...
Submission on AEMC’s rule change process guidance
Our analysis of the problems faced as a consumer group seeking to change the NERR, and our recommendations to make the process more transparent and less onerous for proponents, are extensively detaile...
AEMC review of regulatory arrangements for embedded networks
SACOSS and the signatories consider that the existing framework has provided a high degree of flexibility and competition in products and services for embedded networks which has led to some valuable...
Submission to the inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy’s inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid. A...
We need a ban on energy bill fines that really works: Gerard Brody
UNDERSTANDING how power prices work isn’t an easy task. The Prime Minister recently tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to look into power prices, but there’s one problem for Vic...
Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market (Finkel review)
A reliable, secure and affordable energy supply is essential to health, wellbeing, economic participation and social inclusion, so there is a high risk to consumers when things go wrong and supply of...
Submission to the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria discussion paper following the consultation forum t...
Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap: Key Concepts Report
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Electricity network transformation roadmap: key concepts report. We support the focus of the roadmap of incentiv...
Competition is failing in energy retail and it’s hurting households: Gerard Brody
In his address to the National Press Club last week, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called out that families across the nation need not just reliable but affordable power. For lower income earners wh...
Time to abolish unfair energy appeals
At their meeting in Melbourne this week, Energy Ministers from around the country will consider an issue that has the potential to save households and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars each y...
Power price shock – fake discounts gouge Victorians
Energy price rises announced today will hit Victorians hard as the Consumer Action Law Centre warns energy companies to remember that their product is an essential service. "Over 60,000 Victorians...
Transition to Metering Competition in Victoria
The Alternative Technology Association (ATA), Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Energy Policy and Pr...
Submission on the proposed safety net for energy consumers facing payment difficulty
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial and Consumer Rights Council (FCRC) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Commission’s proposed safety net for energy consumers facing...
Consumer Protections for Behind the Meter electricity supply
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council (Energy Council) c...
General Exemption Order Review
Consumer Action has joined with Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre to make a submission to the Department of Land, Water and Planning Position Paper on the General Exemptions Order. The Paper proposes...
Power Transformed
The rapid development of new technology in electricity supply is disrupting the traditional means of delivery of this essential service. As in other sectors, the consumer is at the heart of these chan...
Power Transformed
The rapid development of new technology in electricity supply is disrupting the traditional means of delivery of this essential service. As in other sectors, the consumer is at the heart of these chan...
Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws: Proposed policy positions for consultation
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the consultation paper, Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws: Proposed policy positions for consultation, rele...
Submission to AER on its approval of minimum amount owing for disconnection
Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Australian Energy Regulator on its approval of the minimum amount owing for disconnection of electricity or gas under the National Energy Retail Rules....
AER Electricity Ring-Fencing Guideline
Ring-fencing is undertaken when a monopoly business also operates in a contestable market, and some form of functional separation is deemed necessary to ensure the market remains competitive. Read...
Submission to the AER Draft Sustainable Payment Plan Framework
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment on the AER Draft Sustainable Payment Plan Framework (the draft framework). Read our full submission here [PDF]...
Submission to ESC’s Draft Energy Compliance and Enforcement Policy, April 2016
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) wishes to make a brief submission to the Essential Services Commission’s (the Commission) consultation on its Draft Energy Compliance and Enforcement P...
Energy retailers to help Victorians stay out of debt: Consumer Groups
Energy retailers are to provide improved, targeted assistance to customers experiencing financial difficulty under a proposed new regulatory framework announced by the Andrews Government today. The fr...
Good communication the key to successful electricity tariff reform: Gerard Brody
In response to "Andrews Government accused of killing $1.6b benefit of tariff changes" (3/2/2016) in the Australian Financial Review: Claims that the Victorian Andrews Government’s ‘backing away’ f...