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...
Joint Submission: Economic regulation, governance and efficiency in the Victorian water sector
Consumer Action, the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service welcome the opportunity to comment on the May 2014 Preliminary Advice from the Independent Reviewer....
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...
Submission: AEMC’s review of electricity customer switching options paper
Consumer Action supports the Commission undertaking this review and we agree that timely and accurate transfer processes can "support customer choice" and "confidence" in the competitive retail market...
Submission: Energy White Paper 2014
Consumer Action was pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Energy White Paper 2014. Our submission is available here....
Media release: End energy retailers’ free ride
New proposal to fix energy prices for length of contract Energy retailers would be banned from increasing a customer’s tariff mid contract under a proposal to be considered by the Australian Energy M...
Submission: Energy Assured Limited – Revocation and Substitution – A91390 & A91391
Consumer Action’s 2011 submissions to the Code authorisation process recommended the ACCC refuse to authorise the applications, on the grounds that the proposal did not actually improve existing consu...
Submission: AER Alternative Energy Sellers – Issues Paper
Consumer Action supports the AER's approach in attempting to identify a suitable outcome for consumers in an evolving and increasingly complex energy market. We have provided some comments to encourag...
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: Regulatory Review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986
Consumer Action has submitted comment on the Issue Paper for the regulatory review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986. We generally do not agree that the regulatory burden on traders is exces...
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...
Press statement: Consumer groups welcome desalination plant refinancing
Consumer Action Law Centre and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) have welcomed news that Melbourne households would benefit from the early refinancing of the desalination plant project. ‘Ma...
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...
Consumers urged to get advice regarding rent to buy car agreements from Plunkett Rd in Dandenong
Consumer Action is urging consumers to seek legal advice if they have entered into a rent to buy car agreement at 10-12 Plunkett Rd in Dandenong. This agreement may be with R.V. Investments (Aust) Pty...
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: Regulatory impact statement on retirement village contract and disclosure options
Consumer Action has provided comments on the Regulatory Impact Statement for the Retirement Villages Amendment (Records and Notices) Regulations 2013 and the Retirement Villages Amendment (Contractual...
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...
Can I get out of a contract to buy a car from a car trader? – your cooling-off rights
Key Messages: you can cancel a contract with a motor car trader in certain circumstances; act quickly and get advice about what your rights are. This fact sheet provides you informa...
Media release: Revised water plan welcomed by consumer advocates
Today’s announcement from the Essential Services Commission (ESC), which sets metropolitan water prices for the next five years, has been welcomed by two of Victoria’s leading consumer advocate organi...