CHOICE says it’s time to Take the Power Back for electricity consumers
CHOICE has welcomed today’s draft report into electricity networks from the Productivity Commission, which reinforces the urgent need for electricity market reform.
The report identifies “spiralling network costs” as the “main contributor” to increasing electricity prices over the last five years, and describes a regulatory regime that is failing Australian consumers.1
“Today’s report is further evidence that we have a broken electricity system in Australia, with wasteful spending resulting in unnecessary increases in household bills,” says CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland.
“As the Commission says, our electricity market is meant to put consumers’ interests front and centre, and right now, that objective has been lost.
“In particular we welcome the call for greater consumer participation in electricity market decisions,” says Mr Kirkland.
CHOICE has put forward 14 recommendations to fix Australia’s electricity sector, with an emphasis on reducing peak demand, ensuring more efficient spending and empowering consumers.2
“There is a growing chorus of consumer groups, regulators and now the Productivity Commission, saying it’s time for reform,” says Mr Kirkland.
“We need to see all governments – federal, state and territory – step up to the plate before the final COAG meeting of 2012 and take meaningful, long-term actions to reduce electricity network costs for households.”
CHOICE has launched a campaign to Take the Power Back for Australia’s electricity consumers: www.choice.com.au/takethepowerback