ECCV recently collaborated with the Victorian Council of Social Service and Uniting Vic.Tas on a submission to the Essential Services Commission to address the increasing costs of household energy and make recommendations to better support Victorian consumers to meet their energy needs.
The submission in July 2024 ‘Reviewing the Energy Retail Code of Practice’, found that structural barriers such as digital exclusion and language are poorly addressed by retailers, exacerbating the impacts of energy hardship. Retailers are often failing to deliver adequate assistance to customers.
Recommendations include:
- Strengthening family violence protections
- Strengthening the Payment Difficulty Framework
- Improving customer support staff training and culture
- Improving information and accessibility
- Supporting customers who want to disconnect from gas.
The submission found that more can and needs to be done to ensure access to this essential service.
Media Enquiries
For media enquiries or more information, please contact Media & Communications Lead Xiaoran Shi.
Email: media@eccv.org.au
Phone: 0478 218 472
Authors
Rory Anderson
VCOSS
Published
July 2024