Energy - Consumer Action Law Centre

Joint submission: National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review

A coalition of advocates has taken the opportunity to comment on SCER's National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review Consultation Paper (Consultation Paper) and the National Energy Retai...

Submission: Carbon tax repeal legislation

Consumer Action generally does not support repeal of the legislation that is not linked to imposing a price on carbon emissions, given the dire consequences for Australians from predicted impacts of c...

Media release: Federal Court finds Do Not Knock Sign is ‘an unambiguous request to leave the premises’

The inventor of the Do Not Knock sticker has welcomed today’s Federal Court ruling that the sticker is legally enforceable under the Australian Consumer Law. The decision means ignoring the sticker co...

A Policy Trilemma – workshop

Consumer Action held a workshop in June 2013 to further the discussion of key energy issues for consumers identified in its report, A Policy Trilemma. The workshop convened a number of participants an...

Submission: Review of Enforcement Regime for National Energy Laws

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy and Resources in relation to its Review of National Enforcement Regimes for National Energy Laws. Consumer Action believes regul...

Submission: Draft Australian Energy Regulator stakeholder engagement framework

Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Stakeholder Engagement Framework. We believe the Draft provides a strong foundation for the AER to engage with it...

Joint submission: Essential Services Commission harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Decision

Consumer Action has contributed to a joint submission on the Essential Services Commission Harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Deci...

Move to emissions trading scheme could wipe $185 off annual power bills—but regulators must play a role

As delegates converge on Brisbane for the annual regulators conference, Consumer Action Law Centre has urged national and state energy regulators to ensure any move to an emission trading scheme resul...

Media release: Energy retailers improve their behaviour, but Simply Energy & Red Energy didn’t get the memo

335 complaints about door-to-door salespeople have now been lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission through donotknock.consumeraction.org.au And while the latest round of compla...

Submission: Proposed Changes to Regulatory Instruments Relating to Flexible Pricing of Electricity

Consumer Action has provided comment on the Essential Services Commission’s Draft Decision in relation to Proposed Changes to Regulatory Instruments Relating to Flexible Pricing of Electricity. Energy...

Media release: Do Not Knock campaign has another win

Consumer Action Law Centre’s Do Not Knock campaign notched up another win today, with Origin Energy announcing it will stop using door to door selling by 30 September 2013. Origin’s announcement comes...

Submission: Joint Consumer Submission to the Water Price Review 2013 draft decision

We welcome the Essential Services Commission’s overall approach articulated in their Draft Decision on the Water Price Review 2013. In summary, this submission states as follows: 1. We are pleased th...

Media Release: $1.5 million fine for AGL as the costs of door-to-door marketing misconduct start to add up for energy retailers

The Consumer Action Law Centre, the organisation behind the successful Do Not Knock sticker and campaign, has welcomed a Federal Court decision that AGL Sales Pty Ltd and AGL South Australia Pty Ltd p...

Media release: Simple online ‘No Contact Form’ the latest tool to stop door-to-door energy sales

There is a new weapon in the fight against pesky and persistent door-to-door energy salespeople. Australians can now visit www.donotknock.org.au, fill out a simple form, and have their ‘Do Not Knock’...

A Policy Trilemma: A workshop towards creating an Affordable, Secure and Sustainable energy market

Energy: A Policy Trilemma A workshop towards creating an Affordable, Secure and Sustainable energy market 9 am – 4 pm Thursday 27th of June at Oaks on Market 60 Market Street Melbourne RSVP...

Media Release: AGL is second energy retailer in as many days to agree to blanket cessation of door-to-door sales – Consumer Action calls on others to follow their lead

Householders should soon notice a meaningful decrease in visits from unwanted energy hawkers, with the announcement by a second major energy retailer, AGL, that it too will cease all door-to-door sell...

Media release: EnergyAustralia leads industry in ending door-to-door sales

EnergyAustralia’s announcement that it will end door-to-door marketing will be warmly welcomed by Australian households. Last year the Consumer Action Law Centre surveyed consumers regarding their vie...

Submission: Essential Services Commission Victoria Harmonised Energy Retail Code

The signatories to this submission represent the interests of the majority of Victorian residential and small business energy consumers – being particularly cognizant of the special needs of low incom...

Submission: Limited merits review of decision-making in the electricity and gas regulatory frameworks

Consumer Action's submission to the Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement on the framework for limited merits review of decision-making in electricity and gas regulation argues that Option 3, Amend...

Media release: Review of energy retailers’ customer service is damning

The Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) annual review of Energy retailers’ customer service performance is damning of the industry’s ability to assist struggling households. The Consumer Action Law...

Submission: Electricity network regulatory frameworks—Productivity Commission draft report

Consumer Action has responded to the Productivity Commission's Draft Report on Electricity Network Regulatory Frameworks. We have found the Commission‘s review of the Electricity Network Regulatory F...

Media release: Consumer Group hits out at Energy Retail Code

The Energy Retail Code, which allows energy retailers to increase the price of electricity multiple times during the term of a contract, has come under fire from the Consumer Action Law Centre. In a l...

Media release: New consumer report makes practical recommendations on energy market reform

A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre, A Policy Trilemma: creating an affordable, secure and sustainable energy market, authored by former UK EnergyWatch CEO and former Commonwealth Ombudsm...

Policy report: A Policy Trilemma: creating an affordable, secure and sustainable energy market

Media release: Energy White Paper a significant improvement on draft

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Federal Government's Energy White Paper, which it believes is a significant improvement from the draft. The Centre said that it was pleasing that the White...

Submission: Review of Limited Merits Review for Energy Pricing Determinations

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Standing Council on Energy & Resources on the Final Report of the Expert Panel set up to examine the Limited Merits Review Regime for energy determ...

Media release: Energy debate must address the real drivers of the unnecessary electricity price increases

The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed comments made by Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman Rod Sims warning that the energy reform debate must address the real drivers...

Supplementary Submission: Senate Select Inquiry on Electricity Pricing

Consumer Action has written to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices in response to the written questions it provided on 5 October 2012. The committee has asked the following questions:...

Submission: Australian Energy Market Commission’s Power of Choice Review, Draft Report

In this submission, Consumer Action argues that the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has not adequately considered many of the practical implications of proceeding with its recommendations,...

On the Wire: edition 33

Consumer action has published the October edition of On the Wire, a quarterly publication featuring updates on national energy market reforms and regulatory processes. Edition 33 can be found here....

Submission: Economic Regulation of Network Service Providers—Draft Determination

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Determination of the Australian Energy Market Commission in relation to the Economic Regulation of Network Service Providers R...

Electricity and gas debt

Use this information sheet if: you are having trouble paying your electricity or gas bill; or you want information about payment arrangements and your rights. You do have rights under the E...

Media release: Committee’s rejection of a Do Not Knock register can’t be the end of the debate

The Consumer Action Law Centre, the organisation behind the national ‘Do Not Knock campaign’, says a Federal Parliamentary committee's rejection of a private members bill designed to establish a do no...

Submission: review of limited merits review discussion paper three

This submission responds to the Third Consultation Paper of the Expert Panel reviewing the Limited Merits Review regime for energy regulatory decisions. Read our submission: submission to Limited mer...

Submission: Parliamentary inquiry into Do Not Knock Register Bill

Consumer Action's submission to this inquiry argues that door-to-door sales causes widespread consumer detriment, hinders market competition, and that greater consumer protections are desperately need...

Policy report: The pursuit of the impossible, consumer experience with external collection of retail energy debts

A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre gives an insight into the experiences of a number of Victorian energy consumers who had their energy debts passed onto external debt collectors. The pu...

July 2012

Home help has strings attached The Age, 25 July 2012, John Kavanagh Unpaid power bills going up The Age, 17 July 2012, Rachel Wells Avoid the stress zone on your home loan Sydney Morning Hera...

Media release: New report offers a snapshot of debt collection practices in the Victorian energy sector

Media release: Australians fed up with door-to-door sales urged to sign new petition

The Consumer Action Law Centre, tired of hearing stories of salespeople taking advantage of the vulnerable Australians, has launched a petition calling on Australia’s energy retailers to voluntarily e...

Working for a fairer energy market

Energy market reform Our work brings the consumer voice to the national energy market. Our advocacy draws on real consumer concerns —expressed through our casework services (legal and financial counse...

Media release: More door-to-door complaints sent to ACCC, but further protections needed

Another 26 complaints about door-to-door salespeople have been lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as part of the Consumer Action Law Centre’s Do Not Knock Campaign....

Submission: Review of the Limited Merits Review Consultation Paper Two

Consumer Action’s response to the Review of Limited Merits Review Regime's Consultation Paper 2, Additional Statement of Issues and Questions. To read our submission please click here: Submission to...

Submission: Australian Energy Market Commission, Market Review, Power of Choice (Stage 3 DSP Review)

This review is about 'enabling consumers to make informed choices about the way they use electricity can help achieve efficient investment'. Consumer Action agrees that there are opportunities to impr...

Media release: Consumer action calls on Energy Market Commission to ease energy bills by proceeding with rule-change

In a submission lodged today, the Consumer Action Law Centre called for the Australian Energy Market Commission to proceed with an energy rule change that would put downward pressure on household ener...

Submission: review of limited merits review consultation paper one

This submission responds to the Initial Discussion Paper of the Expert Panel reviewing the Limited Merits Review regime for energy regulatory decisions. Read our submission click: Initial submission...

Energy retailers urged to end door-to-door sales

Consumer Action has challenged Australia's energy retailers to put an end to door-to-door energy sales. The Centre issued the challenge on the back of new research showing 77 per cent of Australians h...

Media release: Consumers the losers as competition tribunal sides with power companies – yet again

Victorian households are staring down the barrel of yet another electricity price hike after the Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) overturned significant aspects of the ruling of the energy indust...

Contracting competition in the energy retail market results in lacklustre performance

A new report showing three leading energy retailers control almost 75 percent of market share is bad news for Victorian households which are missing out on the financial benefits and service improveme...

Media release: Contracting competition in the energy retail market results in lacklustre performance

A new report showing three leading energy retailers control almost 75 per cent of market share is bad news for Victorian households which are missing out on the financial benefits and service improvem...

Media release: Energy rules must change—consumers and big business agree

Consumer groups from around Australia have joined the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and some of the nation’s biggest businesses in calling for reform to the process that sets electricity network p...

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