News

Consumer Action has joined with Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre to make a submission to the Department of Land, Water and Planning Position Paper on the General Exemptions Order. The Paper proposes changes to the exemptions framework that applies to energy supply licensing in Victoria.

The submission supports the directions outlined in the Position Paper, including the proposal to improve consumer protections that apply to consumers of embedded networks.

The submission encourages further consideration be given to the experiences of long-term stay consumers in caravan parks, residential parks and manufactured homes, where low income and disadvantaged consumers are overrepresented and there are particular challenges for those consumers posed by new market arrangements.

The submission also argues that all ongoing energy supply arrangements, including solar power purchase agreements and ‘new energy’ service arrangements, should be subject to free and accessible jurisdiction. We consider that the jurisdiction of the Energy & Water Ombudsman Victoria should be expanded and that membership be mandatory for all energy supply businesses, including alternative energy selling and community energy services.

Read the full submission here [PDF]