Energy disconnections: Karen’s story
Karen is a single mother of four children living in public housing. Her gas and electricity were disconnected for about a week in October 2014. At that time Karen was a victim of domestic violence. He...
The energy market is failing struggling Victorians
Victoria’s energy market is failing our most vulnerable people, according to Consumer Action Law Centre. With the release of the Essential Services Commission’s Energy Hardship Inquiry Draft Report to...
Submission to Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Draft Paper
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Draft Paper (the Draft Paper). Download t...
The real stories of Victorians forced to choose to heat, or eat
Victorians have shared their stories of energy disconnection as part of research by RMIT for Consumer Action Law Centre’s ‘Heat or Eat’ report released today. The report details six unique stories...
Modernising Victoria’s Energy Licence Framework and General Exemptions Order: Submission
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) welcome the opportunity to provide input to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) and the Department...
Submission on Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide further input into the Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines V4.0, specific...
Joint submission to Melbourne Water Price Review 2016: Submission
Consumer Action has joined with the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service to provide a submission to the Melbourne Water Price Review. Water is a basic essenti...
Fake discounts must end: Consumer Action
Energy companies regularly offer discounts to Australians, but these “discounts” often hide the true costs faced by customers. According to the Australian Market Energy Commission’s latest Retail Comp...
Clean Energy Council application for revocation and substitution A91495 – A91496
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide you with comment on the Clean Energy Council's application of revocation and substitution of the voluntary PV Code of C...
AEMC Draft Determination on Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's draft rule determination to expand competition in metering and related services. Read the fu...
Submission to the Notice of draft instrument: Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) Notice of draft instrument: Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Inf...
Submission to Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Issues Paper
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input the Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Issues Paper (the Issues Paper). Click her...
Submission to the Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of energy retailers
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...
Energy consumers to get “even more information” under national rule change
Today marks the start of new national rules for energy retailers, which are intended to provide more clarity on fixed-term contracts, but instead, do little to protect Australians from unexpected pric...
Submission: Privacy and trust in the new energy market
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input the Energy Market Reform Working Group's (EMRWG) paper, New products and services in the electricity market—consu...
Media Release: WANTED – Households who have been disconnected from electricity
Have you been disconnected from your electricity supply because you couldn’t afford to pay your bills? If so, we want to hear from you. We’re attempting to understand what households face when they c...
On the Wire: April 2015
Consumer action has published the April edition of On the Wire, a quarterly publication featuring updates on national energy market reforms and regulatory processes. Edition 42 can be found here....
Submission: 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper
Consumer Action has provided input to the Australian Energy Market Commission's 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper. Effective competition is critical for energy consumers to the extent that...
Submission: Regulating innovative energy selling business models
Consumer Action has made a submission to Australian Energy Regulator about regulating innovative energy selling business models under the National Energy Retail Law. The issue of appropriate regulati...
Submission: National Approach to Electricity Network Tariff Reform
Consumer Action and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre have provided input to the Energy Networks Association's position paper, Towards a National Approach to Electricity Network Tariff Reform. O...
Submission: The performance and management of electricity network companies
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications about the performance and management of electricity network companie...
Submission: 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Consultation Paper
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the approach to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) 2015 Retail Competition Review. Effective competition is critical for ener...
Submission: Energy Green Paper
Consumer Action has provided the following submission to the Department of Industry on the Energy Green Paper. Australia’s energy market is rapidly changing, with the unprecedented fall in energy d...
Media release: Ensuring ‘fixed’ means ‘fixed’ when it comes to energy contracts
Consumer Action Law Centre and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre welcomed the Coalition's announcement that it will ban energy retailers using the term "fixed" when referring to contracts with va...
Energy retailers given green light to increase prices at will
Consumer advocates lament a lost opportunity to repair Australia’s broken energy retail market Energy retailers will continue increasing prices at their leisure after the Australian Energy Market Com...
Submission: Key Recommendations arising from the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Final Report
Consumer Action has provided comment on the Discussion Paper on Key Recommendations arising from the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Final Report. Consumer Action provided...
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Distribution Network Pricing Arrangements Draft Determination
Consumer Action, Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and Victorian Council of Social Service have provided input into the AEMC's draft determination on distribution network pricing arrangements. Our o...
Media release: Victorian energy retailers failing struggling customers – disconnection on the rise
The Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) Annual Report for 2013/14 suggests energy retailers are failing to offer sufficient assistance to customers struggling with high bills. During the year,...
Media release: Government’s pre election energy statement a welcome addition to the debate
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the State Government’s pre election energy statement, in particular the focus on making Victoria’s energy market easier to navigate, and keeping vulnerable memb...
Submission: Retailer Price Variations in Market Retail Contracts
Consumer Action and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre have made a supplementary submission on the Australian Energy Market Commission's Draft Rule Determination: Retailer Price Variations in Market...
Media release: Competition Policy Review Draft Report welcomed, but panellists urged to consider consumer experience and protection
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Competition Policy Review Draft Report and its emphasis ‘on protecting competition and not competitors.’ But Consumer Action will be asking the review’s pan...
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Customer Access to Information about their Energy Consumption
As in Consumer Action's previous submission to the consultation paper, we agree with the premise of the rule change that 'in practice it is difficult for customers to access their data from market par...
Submission: National Energy Retail Amendment (Retailer price variations in market retail contracts) Rule 2014 Draft Determination
Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) and Consumer Action are pleased that the Australian Energy Market Commission – and other bodies, such as the Australian Energy Regulator, Energy Retailers Ass...
Consumer Action welcomes Victorian Labor’s plan to strengthen Essential Services Commission
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed Victorian Labor’s new energy policy which would increase the powers the Essential Services Commission (ESC) and put consumers ‘front and centre’ of the Commissi...
Media release: Investigation into energy disconnections a welcome first step
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement that it has directed the Essential Services Commission to conduct an investigation into the underlying causes of energy...
Joint submission: EWON prepayment meter discussion paper
Consumer advocates and welfare agencies have submitted a joint submission to the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW’s prepayment meter discussion paper. We support joint work by consumer groups, ombudsme...
Media release: Energy market failing Victorian households, annual market report shows
An annual review of Australia’s energy markets suggest competition alone isn’t enough to keep the market running efficiently and to keep energy prices down. Research commissioned by the Australian Ene...
Report: Smart Moves for a Smart Market
Smart Moves for a Smart Market: Simple steps to ensure consumer protections keep pace with innovation in a hi-tech energy market takes an in-depth look at the emerging demand-side energy market, inclu...
Media release: Energy retailers given the green light to increase prices at will
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is set to rubber stamp energy retailers’ ability to increase prices for consumers as often as they like. Energy retailers would have been banned from inc...
Report: Problems with Payment
As winter energy bills begin landing in letterboxes, a new report from the Consumer Action has identified fundamental flaws in the way energy retailers identify and assist struggling customers. Proble...
Submission: Competition Policy Review Issues Paper
Consumer Action has made a submission on the Competition Policy Review Issues Paper. The key points and recommendations are outlined below: While effective competition generally ensures market outc...
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Customer Access to Information about their Energy Consumption
Consumer Action recognises the great potential for advanced metering to enhance consumers' understanding of their own energy consumption, and acknowledges that it can be an important link for consumer...
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's rule change proposal to expand competition in metering and related services. Consumer Action recognises the great potential f...
Submission: Review of the 2020 Renewable Energy Target
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Federal Government’s review of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). Consumer Action is an independent, not-for-...
Joint submission: DSDBI Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Draft Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages. We strongly support the Minister’s proposal to increase th...
Submission: Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria independent review issues paper
This submission is the result of a collaboration between the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre, the Victorian Council of Social Services, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Financial and Consumer Rig...
Submission: AEMC’s 2014 Retail Competition Review
Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (the AEMC) 2014 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper. We welcome ongoing reviews of competition within retail mar...
Submission: Final Report on the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy (SCER) on the Final Report: Review of the Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Consumer Action supports many of t...
Submission: ACCC consideration of AGL Energy’s proposed acquisition of Macquarie Generation
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in response to its Statement of Issues on AGL Energy Limited (AGL) proposed acquisition of the busine...