Today we published the AER Annual Report 2017–18, which details our work throughout the year and our performance against targets laid out in our Statement of Intent to the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council and the Australian Government.
The energy market is in transition, and our work takes place in the context of technological, behavioural and systemic change. The market faces significant challenges, with energy affordability a central concern for consumers.
Our Annual Report outlines our efforts to address these issues, including initiatives jointly undertaken with other energy market bodies. Highlights include addressing hardship via a binding Customer Policy Hardship Guideline, commencing a major redevelopment of our Energy Made Easy price comparator website, and resolving matters relating to the appeals under the Limited Merits Review process and the Rate of Return Guideline.
The report also includes results from our fifth stakeholder survey conducted earlier this year by the independent agency ORIMA Research. The survey – which is undertaken every second year – is an important opportunity to hear from a wide range of people and organisations about their experience in working with the AER.
The results are very encouraging with 79 per cent of respondents satisfied with the AER’s performance and 87 per cent stating the AER is a trustworthy regulator.