Keeping connected: PIAC submission on the Customer Assistance Policy

On the recommendation of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), the NSW Government has announced that it will bring forward measures from the $272.5 million package of initiatives to assist consumers to deal with the substantial 1 July 2009 electricity price increases. Recognising that energy price rises have a direct impact on utility disconnections, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) endorses this decision. However, PIAC believes that this package alone will be insufficient to ensure that the rate of electricity disconnections in 2009-10 is no higher than in 2008-09 and urges the NSW Government and energy retailers to commit to ensuring that there is no increase in the rate of disconnections.

The NSW Department of Water and Energy released its Customer Assistance Policy Consultation Draft as part of the $272.5 million package of initiatives. PIAC supports many of the measures in the Draft but holds concerns about the implementation of others.

Word version available on request from PIAC - piac@piac.asn.au

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