The AER is responsible for reporting on the performance of the retail energy market and energy businesses, including information on energy affordability and trends in disconnection of customers for non-payment of energy bills, as well as monitoring and enforcing compliance with obligations in the Retail Law and Rules. Our Annual retail markets report 2019–20 tracks outcomes in this context, and helps guide us as the regulator to the issues that matter most to consumers.
The report covers the states and territories where the Retail Law applies: Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania (electricity only). Our analysis of pricing and of customer switching also includes Victoria.
The report features overviews of:
- COVID-19 and the retail energy market
- Retail market overview
- Retailers’ customer numbers in residential and business customer markets, by fuel type
- The percentage of customers on market and standing retail contracts in each jurisdiction, by fuel type
- Customer switching from one retailer to another
- An overview of recent policy developments
- Energy pricing and affordability
- Trends in tariff levels for market and standing offers
- Trends in energy use
- Annual energy costs as a proportion of income
- Payment difficulties and hardship
- Concessions
- Debt levels
- Payment plans
- Hardship programs
- Disconnections
- Retailer customer service
- Call centre responsiveness
- Complaints
- Compliance and enforcement
- Priorities in 2019–20 and future priorities
- Enforcement outcomes during 2019–20
- Retailer report cards
- Appendices
- Prepayment meters
- Pricing methodology
- South Australian service standards
- Distributor performance
- Maps of electricity and gas distribution areas