Other bodies that have responsibilities in the energy sector beyond those responsible for national governance include:
Energy Consumers Australia (ECA)
Energy Consumers Australia was established 30 January 2015 and it assumed consumer advocacy granting functions previously undertaken by the Consumer Advocacy Panel (CAP).
ECA’s objective is "to promote the long term interests of consumers of energy with respect to the price, quality, safety, reliability and security of supply of energy services by providing and enabling strong, coordinated, collegiate evidence based consumer advocacy on national energy market matters of strategic importance or material consequence for energy consumers, in particular for residential and small business customers."
Regulators
The following organisations have some responsibilities within the energy sector at the state level:
- The Essential Services Commission is the independent regulator of the retail energy industry in Victoria. Its role is to oversee compliance and performance reporting by energy businesses, and issue energy distribution and retail licences.
- The Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator is the independent regulator for Tasmania
- The Queensland Competition Authority is the independent economic regulator for Queensland
- The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal is the independent regulator that determines the maximum prices that can be charged for certain retail energy, water and transport services in New South Wales.
- The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission is the independent competition and utilities regulator for the Australian Capital Territory.
- The Utilities Commission is the independent economic regulator for the Northern Territory
- The Essential Services Commission of South Australia is the state’s independent economic regulator of essential services including electricity and gas.
- The Economic Regulation Authority is the independent economic regulator for Western Australia, regulating monopoly aspects of the gas, electricity and rail industries and licensing providers of gas, electricity and water services. In addition, the ERA has a range of responsibilities in the retailing of gas and surveillance of the wholesale electricity market in Western Australia.
Ombudsmen
Energy Ombudsmen receive, investigate and facilitate the resolution of customer complaints about electricity or gas companies operating in their jurisdiction.
The services they provide consumers are free.
Ombudsmen can be found at: