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Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) strongly supports the continuation of the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) role as the independent regulator for Victoria’s energy, water and transport industries. Our experience with the ESC is that they are an effective regulator of the sectors that fall within their remit.

Due to the ESC’s proven effectiveness as a regulator, we do not propose that the ESC Act should be changed substantially, though we do have recommendations to strengthen the ESC’s ability to regulate essential services in Victoria.

Additional funding to the ESC is required to enable them to effectively use all the tools at their disposal to ensure that the organisations providing essential services to Victorians are compliant with all their obligations.

The Government should also more actively leverage the independent expertise of the ESC to ensure the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) continues to remain fit for purpose for Victorians experiencing financial difficulty.

Read the full submission and recommendations (PDF).