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...
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: Improved concessions and hardship programs will be the key if water price rises proceed
Improved access to water concessions and affordable payment plans will be paramount if the Essential Services Commission (ESC) proceeds with its draft decision to allow metropolitan water retailers to...
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...
Submission: Water Price Review 2013-2018
Consumer Action and the Consumer Utility Advocacy Centre Ltd have made a joint submission to the Metropolitan and Regional Businesses Water Plans for 2013-2018. Our comments in this submission apply...
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
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...
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...