Support for the Queensland Council of Social Service’s Submission to the Australian Regulator in response to the Issues Paper: Retail Market Performances Reporting

The National Energy Customer Framework is expected to require the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) to publish guidelines on Performance Reporting. Performance reporting will allow for a more transparent energy market in which the activities of energy retailers are available for comparison and analysis. Reporting will also enable the gathering of data on energy consumers that will be useful in the development of evidence based social policy. The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) ran the project, Hardship indicators and performance reporting – ensuring best practice outcomes for consumers in AER guidelines. Part of that project was to gather a broad range of views from consumers and consumer advocates about what kind of information would be useful in determining whether the energy market is serving consumers appropriately.  The end result of the QCOSS project is this submission. Having had input into the process as a member of the project’s reference group, PIAC now supports the recommendations housed in the QCOSS submission to the AER on Retail Market Performance Reporting.

NOTE: Letter dated 12 August 2010 to Tom Leuner General Manager Markets Branch Australian Energy Regulator  GPO Box 520 Melbourne Vic 3000.
Cover letter to: AER Issues Paper – Retail Market Performance Reporting  QCOSS submission August 13th 2010