Utilities - 2/19 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

22 November , 2019

Limiting conditional discounts on energy offers: have your say

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has acted on a request from the Hon Angus Taylor MP, Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, to limit conditional discounts on energy deals. The draft rule comes with a recommended penalty of up to $100,000 for retailers who fail to comply. Under our proposal consumers would no longer pay unreasonable…

4 September , 2019

Standard on drinking water treatment units open for public comment

Tap water is one of our most important and basic necessities. Most Australians don’t have to worry about getting sick from the water they’re supplied with. The downside of ensuring safe drinking water is the lingering taste and smell of disinfectant, causing many people to opt for a water filtering system (read more here). Water treatment…

31 July , 2019

How to stop paying fees for bills you receive in the mail

Consumer protection regulators are running a national campaign to help consumers avoid paying extra fees to receive bills in the post. People who prefer to receive paper bills are usually seniors, consumers on a low income, or people without internet access, which means that vulnerable consumers end up paying extra just to pay their bills.…

1 May , 2019

Electricity determination important step to keep energy prices down for NSW

The Australian Energy Regulator’s revenue determination for the period 2019-2024, announced 30 April, represents a fair outcome for NSW consumers, and will help curb rising household energy bills. ‘Overall, this determination is welcome news for NSW consumers,’ said Craig Memery, Team leader in PIAC’s Energy + Water Consumers’ Advocacy Program. ‘It builds on the downward…

5 April , 2019

Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection regime for solar panels in Victoria

Reliable, affordable, renewable energy has helped many Australians take back control of their power prices. Yet as the solar industry booms, consumer protection has not kept up. More needs to be done to protect householders, according to a comprehensive report released by Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action). Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection…

2 April , 2019

Hardship protections a right not a privilege

A new Customer Hardship Policy Guideline released by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) today will bring greater clarity and consistency to the support retailers are required to provide to their customers and new penalties will apply where retailers fail to meet their obligations. “More Australian households are experiencing difficulty paying their bills. We are seeing rising levels…

13 February , 2019

No interest loan plan puts roof-top solar within reach of struggling households

PIAC’s Energy + Water Consumer Advocacy Program (EWCAP) has welcomed the New South Wales Government’s commitment to provide no-interest loans for households to access solar and batteries, announced on Sunday. ‘This program will provide welcome relief for people struggling with the cost of living. Making finance available for up to 300,000 households with income below…

1 February , 2019

New consumer protection rules start

From today electricity consumers will have more choice, control and protection with the start of four new rules made by the AEMC. These rules: require retailers to provide at least five business days’ notice to customers before their energy prices change allow small customers to fix inaccurate estimated bills by providing their own reading of…

19 December , 2018

Only 1 in 4 say their homes are energy efficient

Energy Consumers Australia has released new data that underlines the important opportunity for improving housing quality as a way to tackle high energy bills. Many Australian homes are expensive to heat or to cool because they are poorly insulated, a problem which is often worse for renters. Not only does this make energy unaffordable for…

17 December , 2018

Regulator’s decision on network earnings creates breathing space for consumers

The Australian Energy Regulator’s decision on the rate of return monopoly network businesses can earn will help create breathing space for consumers struggling with energy affordability. The CEO of Energy Consumers Australia Rosemary Sinclair said that the decision was important because the rate of return on capital accounts for around half the revenue network business…

1 December , 2018

Energy prices are coming down

Over 458,000 Australian families and 39,000 small businesses are getting a better deal on their energy prices thanks to pressure from the Morrison Government on the big energy companies to put customers first. Origin Energy and Alinta have today joined AGL, EnergyAustralia, Next Business Energy, WINconnect, and PowerShop in lowering standing offers on 1 January…

28 November , 2018

Who controls the data your smart meter collects about you?

The UK and Australian energy markets are remarkably similar. In both markets a smart meter rollout is currently underway. Comparing the rights the UK regulator gives UK consumers to control their smart meter, against the total lack of control the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) offers Australian consumers, is enlightening. In this article by Dr Martin…