Publications
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Australian Human Rights Commission Human Rights and Technology Discussion Paper
PIAC’s submission to this consultation process focusses on issues around access to technology for people with a disability, and people experiencing homelessness. This includes calling for industry self-regulation to be replaced with enforceable regulation by a well-funded independent body, as well as human rights by design processes to be adopted by government and non-government bodies…
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Community and consumer organisation joint proposal: National COVID-19 energy hardship relief package
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre joined a coalition of leading consumer and community organisations to call for Commonwealth Government funding and stronger commitments by energy businesses so people can afford their energy bills during the COVID-19 social, economic and health crisis. In the joint statement the groups call on the Government to work with energy…
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Electronic vehicles issue paper
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) issues paper on electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its retail energy competition review. PIAC does not consider the AEMC has framed issue paper questions in a way that reflects the intent of the review: to assess whether retailers are innovating to meet customer preferences for…
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Submission to the Australian National Audit Office’s performance audit
PIAC made a submission to the Australian National Audit Office’s performance audit of the National Disability Insurance Agency’s decision-making controls for NDIS participant plans. The ANAO’s audit is examining whether the NDIA has established and implemented appropriate policies and processes to ensure supports in participant plans are ‘reasonable and necessary’, and whether there is appropriate…
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Victoria New South Wales Interconnector RIT-T PSCR
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and TransGrid’s Project Specification Consultation Report (PSCR) for the Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T). PIAC notes this RIT-T is closely related to and interacts with a number of other transmission projects either underway or still under consultation.…
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Default Market Offer 2020-21 Draft Determination
We responded to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Determination on the development of a Default Market Offer price (DMO2) for retail electricity. We strongly support the principle of a Default Price mechanism but are concerned the current DMO regulating standing offers, and its proposed 20-21 adjustment, do not provide sufficient assurance that people on…
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HumeLink RIT-T PADR
PIAC responded to TransGrid’s draft report to Reinforce the NSW Southern Shared Network or ‘HumeLink’. We provide principles for the fairer and more efficient allocation of risk and cost between industry and consumers for new generation and network infrastructure. We consider risk should be borne by those best placed to manage it, making it inappropriate…
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Draft 2020 Integrated System Plan
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) consultation on the draft 2020 Integrated System Plan (ISP). PIAC strongly supports the 2020 ISP and future ISPs including a managed trajectory of accelerated emissions reductions as a factor in its consideration of optimal development paths. PIAC highlights that consumers will be vulnerable to avoidable cost…
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National Energy Consumer Framework Review Issues Paper 1: New Energy Products and Services
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (the Commission) Energy Consumer Framework Issues Paper 1 concerning new energy products and service. We propose a tiered approach to consumer protections for new energy products and services, including Explicit Informed Consent, commensurate to the potential harm from the category of load being offered. Category of load…