This submission responds to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Stakeholder Engagement Framework (the Framework). The AER has developed the Framework to guide its engagement with its stakeholders. In the submission, PIAC commends the AER on the Draft Framework and expresses confidence that if the AER is able to give it full effect, energy consumers will have a greater understanding of, and ability to influence, energy regulation within the National Energy Market (NEM). Based on extensive experience with energy consumer engagement, PIAC makes two suggestions about additions to the Framework. These relate to the benefits of the AER giving clear explanations for particular aspects of its regulatory decisions and the inclusion of an additional principle in the framework that states that the AER will be proactive in its stakeholder engagement.
