Energy Assured Limited amended application for authorisation A91258 & A91259

In May 2011, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) called for feedback on Energy Assured Limited’s (EAL) application to authorise a scheme designed to self regulate door to door energy sales (the EAL Scheme). The scheme had been amended by EAL after the ACCC released a draft decision not to authorise the scheme. PIAC’s submission to the ACCC noted an inability to support the authorization of the amended scheme. PIAC has the view that the regulation of door to door energy sales should be independent and transparent. PIAC was concerned that as the EAL Board was too heavily weighted by those involved in energy retailing, commercial decisions were likely to take precedence over producing better consumer outcomes. Concerns were also raised about deficits of information provision to consumers and the transparency of reporting on the effectiveness of the code.