Essential Services Commission

We have formed a partnership with key leaders in family violence and economic abuse to develop better practice guides for energy and water businesses to support consumers who are experiencing family violence. Announced today at the Financial Counselling Australia Conference in Perth, the commission’s Safety by Design partnership brings together a team of independent experts: 🔹Thriving Communities Partnership (TCP) 🔹Flequity Ventures (Catherine Fitzpatrick) 🔹Safe and Equal 🔹Centre for Women's Economic Safety. The guides, featuring the principles of Safety by Design, will help businesses identify risks and harms in their systems and processes. More information 🔹 Read the full media release - https://lnkd.in/dQbyxQqj 🔹 Our work to support Victorians experiencing family violence - https://lnkd.in/dH_mfRxd Kate Symons Sarah Sheppard Sitesh Bhojani Rebecca Billings Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Nick Field Dan Keely Lucy Idle (Weston) Jess Gregory Andrea Mason

This week we are joining 870 delegates at the Financial Counselling Australia conference at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. It's a chance to hear from financial counsellors and community stakeholders about what's happening on the ground for consumers experiencing vulnerability.   Martin Coppack from the UK's Fair By Design delivered the keynote speech on reducing the poverty premium, where low-income households pay more for essential services. He spoke about working in partnership and bringing the voice of lived experience to inform decision making.   Susan Fraser OAM from Uniting spoke about why language matters and how to work with people in a way that recognises their strength and resilience.   Financial Counselling Australia co-CEOs Peter Gartlan and Dr Domenique Meyrick reflected on opportunities for the financial counselling sector, including partnerships and a new insights tool to help bring stories on the ground to decision makers. More information 🔹 2024 Financial Counselling Australia conference - https://lnkd.in/gPyZVKpi Kate Symons Sarah Sheppard Sitesh Bhojani Rebecca Billings Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Nick Field Dan Keely Lucy Idle (Weston) Jess Gregory Andrea Mason

We are reviewing an application from Powercor for an electricity transmission licence and will be hosting an online public forum on Tuesday 28 May 2024 from 12pm – 1pm.   The public forum is a great opportunity to learn more about our licence application process, Powercor’s application and how to participate in our consultation process.   Register your attendance now: https://lnkd.in/eQtuYxVx   For more information, visit Engage Victoria: https://lnkd.in/eEb2HDTG Sarah Sheppard Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Rebecca Billings Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Rachel Fry

We have released our final decision on the Gas Distribution Code of Practice. The new code will take effect on 1 October 2024, providing a fair and clear framework for gas network customers as Victoria transitions to net-zero emissions. The new code will: 🔹 Enable us to use our enforcement powers to effectively monitor and enforce the rules on gas distributors, including through civil penalty provisions. 🔹 Require gas distributors to provide clear information to customers on their websites, including how customers can disconnect or abolish their gas connections.  🔹 Remove duplication with other regulations to streamline the regulatory framework. Importantly, the new code also removes inefficient incentives for new gas connections. From 1 January 2025, customers who may seek to establish a new gas connection will pay up-front installation costs for new gas connections, consistent with the current practice for new electricity and water connections. Following more than 12 months of engagement, the new code has been developed with extensive input from gas distributors, retailers, customers, peak industry bodies, consumer protection groups and climate action groups. 🔹 Find out more about our review of the Gas Distribution Code of Practice: https://lnkd.in/gvztiMqa 🔹 Read our media release: https://lnkd.in/gswJFEgB Sarah Sheppard Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Rebecca Billings Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Aaron Yuen Luís Bogliolo, PhD Julia Meadows

From 1 May 2024, ‘cold-call’ telemarketing is banned under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, to protect consumers from unwanted phone calls. 🔹 Anyone marketing the program must now get consent to call consumers. 🔹 Consumers should report ban breaches to veu@esc.vic.gov.au, so we can investigate and act. 🔹 Read more about the ban, industry support, and our compliance and enforcement approach on our website: https://lnkd.in/giReC7Gw A further ban on doorknocking under the program will take effect on 1 August 2024. Sarah Sheppard Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Rebecca Billings Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Baethan Mullen Nick Field

We recently held a hybrid public forum at South Shepparton Community Centre as part of our review of 💧 Goulburn-Murray Water’s proposed prices and service 🎯 priorities for the next four years. It was a great opportunity to hear from stakeholders as their feedback will help inform our final decision. Our draft decision remains open for feedback until 7 May 2024 with the final decision on prices to be released in June 2024. For more information on our price review for Goulburn-Murray Water, visit Engage Victoria: https://lnkd.in/eWKUfEDZ In case you missed it, you can watch the public forum 🎥 recording on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gXHqG2fS Rebecca Billings Sarah Sheppard Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Nathan Zhivov Baethan Mullen Nick Field Mayumi Edirisinghe Angeline Bilas Marcus Crudden John Kalu, Ph.D. Charmaine Quick Michael Gomez

Last Friday, our staff and leaders attended the Utility Regulators Forum at the 📍 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was a great opportunity to hear from and collaborate with fellow regulators in different jurisdictions. There were some interesting panel discussions on: 🔹 Emerging issues and opportunities facing regulators 🔹 Emission reductions in a regulatory context 🔹 Ensuring regulation of local government benefits ratepayers 🔹 How water regulation intersects with the housing crisis Thank you to our panellists, Andy Burgess (General Manager, Infrastructure Regulation, Commerce Commission), Sean Riordan (General Manager - Communications Markets and Advocacy, ACCC), Michelle Groves (Energy Safe Victoria Commissioner), Anthea Harris (CEO of the Australian Energy Regulator), Tim Jordan (Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) Commissioner), William Copeman (Director and Regulatory Economist from the Queensland Competition Authority), David Swift (Chair of the Essential Services Commission of South Australia), Andrew Nicholls PSM (CEO of IPART - Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal), Mike Smart (Chief Economist, IPART), Adam Wilson (CEO of ESCOSA) for your insight and expertise. We value the ongoing exchange of ideas and information with other regulators to help us deliver better outcomes for Victorian consumers. Thank you to our attendees, facilitators and staff for a great event. Sarah Sheppard Rebecca Billings Sitesh Bhojani Kate Symons Lucy Idle (Weston) Marcus Crudden Baethan Mullen Nathan Zhivov Nick Field

That’s a wrap! Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Sheppard has officially closed the Markets and consumers, efficiency and fairness conference.   Today we heard from a diverse range of voices which lead to robust, in-depth discussions about the evolution of economic regulation across the key themes of markets and consumers, efficiency and fairness.   The conference was insightful and informative, reminding us why trust matters in economic regulation especially when we are navigating challenging times.   It was a great opportunity to engage in discussions about how we can further support consumers experiencing vulnerability.   We look forward to continuing this important work while acknowledging there is no one path. We are open to being challenged on our approach to ensure we are designing best practice responses that protect and benefit Victorian consumers.   Thank you to our attendees, speakers, facilitators and staff for an incredible event.   We look forward to sharing more conference highlights and key learnings in the coming weeks. Rebecca Billings Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Marcus Crudden Nathan Zhivov Baethan Mullen Nick Field Lucy Idle (Weston)

What does the future of economic regulation hold when faced with uncertain economic conditions, climate change, energy transition and new technologies?   Our final panel discussed how we need to respond to these imminent and longer-term risks when regulating industries that provide essential services.   Lauren Solomon (Department of Industry, Science and Resources), Freya Marsden (Victorian Government Sustainability Fund), Catherine Dermody (Victorian Bar) and Lynne Gallagher (Australian Energy Regulator), joined Commissioner Rebecca Billings to explore: 🔹 The current and evolving role of regulators and regulation 🔹 Supporting regulated businesses to provide services that meet consumer interests 🔹 Empowering consumers to make more informed choices 🔹 The regulators’ role in influencing policy reforms Kate Symons Sitesh Bhojani Sarah Sheppard Marcus Crudden Lucy Idle (Weston) Nathan Zhivov Baethan Mullen Nick Field

Heading into our second panel discussion, Commissioner Sitesh Bhojani, Ray Finkelstein AO KC (Victorian Bar and former judge at the Federal Court of Australia) and Georgia C. (Department of Premier and Cabinet (Vic)) discussed how we can level the playing field with active compliance and enforcement. The panel explored ways we can assist regulated entities to comply with rules and laws including best practice. The panel discussion touched on behavioural insights and the different approaches to enforcement action taken by state and federal regulators. Commissioner Sitesh Bhojani took a moment to reflect on the commission’s journey over the past 30 years and our recently expanded remit to be an active enforcement regulator. Thank you Caroline Gill from our Victorian Energy Upgrades team for facilitating this interesting discussion on enforcement and compliance. Visit our website to learn more about our compliance and enforcement work: https://lnkd.in/gkSHhQs3 Kate Symons Rebecca Billings Sarah Sheppard Marcus Crudden Lucy Idle (Weston) Nathan Zhivov Baethan Mullen Nick Field