PIAC made a joint submission with ACT Council of Social Service Inc, Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association, Consumer Action Law Centre, Physical Disability Council of NSW, St Vincent de Paul Society of NSW and Uniting to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) Draft rule determination of the National Energy Retail Amendment (Maintaining life support customer registration when switching).
The submission argues the Draft rule determination is preferable to the current situation, but is less preferable to the solution proposed by the rule change proponent, Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON), and less preferable than some of the other solutions put forward in response to the Consultation Paper, including PIAC’s proposed solution.
The AEMC’s proposed solution will still require considerable effort from consumers who require life support equipment to switch retailers and does little to address the risk of vulnerable consumers dropping off the register when they switch.
In the submission we advocate for Distribution Network Service Providers to be the only Registered Process Owners and maintain the life support register for their area.
Although we do not support the draft determination, we provide ways that it can be improved.
Reducing unfair fines and over-policing from alcohol-free zones