PIAC made a joint submission with the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) and Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW (FCAN) to the NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation paper on proposed reforms to the Energy Accounts Payments Assistance (EAPA).
If implemented, the proposed reforms would better support NSW households that experience crises with their energy bills. Reforms include:
- A trail debt program to support customers in longer-term debt
- Expanding EAPA to customers living in embedded networks
- Renaming the program
- Reforming the application process
- Fuel neutrality for EAPA applications
- Changing to exact dollar amounts instead of $50 increments
- Implementing a new assisted delivery channel to improve access and reduce administrative burden
- Improving the communication and awareness strategy for the program
Our submission supported the majority of proposed reforms, and provided feedback on other potential reforms that would further improve the program.
Reducing unfair fines and over-policing from alcohol-free zones