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Energy + Water Consumers' Advocacy Program (EWCAP)
EWCAP was established in 1997 with NSW Government funding to act as an independent voice for low-income and other consumers in the implementation of full retail competition in the NSW energy market and the national electricity market.
Recent years have seen sustainability add another dimension to EWCAP's work, with a range of greenhouse and energy and water efficiency schemes, rebates and products presenting new challenges for consumers.
EWCAP's work consists primarily of making submissions to public inquiries; contributing a consumer perspective to government committees; conducting research; networking with other consumer, community and environmental groups; and publicising relevant issues in the media. EWCAP is assisted by a community-based reference group that meets quarterly.
Over the past decade, EWCAP has successfully
- advocated for improvements in customer assistance programs by energy and water providers;
- led the consumer/community sector in NSW in engaging with the impacts on consumers of the regulation of energy;
- commissioned research on electricity disconnections in 2005, resulting in more equitable disconnection regulations being implemented in 2007, and conducted follow up research in 2008-09.
PIAC continues to receive funding support from the NSW Government through Industry and Investment NSW.
EWCAP is not an individual complaints mechanism but can refer complaints to an appropriate internal complaints mechanism or an independent body such as the Energy and Water Ombudsman of NSW (EWON).
Additional information of interest to consumers is available from the following:
For more information please see EWCAP Publications
or contact:
Mark Ludbrooke, Senior Policy Officer, 02 88986518, mludbrooke@piac.asn.au
Joel Pringle, Policy Officer 02 88986520, jpringle@piac.asn.au
(Updated October 2009)
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