The Australian Energy Regulator has appointed representatives from charities, advocacy organisations, and small business groups to its Customer Consultative Group (CCG).
The CCG is designed to provide consumer and small business input into the AER’s energy functions and regulatory activities. The group was formed in 2009 to advise the AER on matters affecting energy customers as part of the new National Energy Retail Law and Rules.
“This group is an important way for the AER to discover the issues affecting everyday energy consumers and small businesses. It is also a key way we can keep our stakeholders informed about the ‘what, how and why’ of our activities across energy markets and in network regulation,” said Mr Reeves.
Membership provides organisations with the opportunity to tell the AER about energy issues that impact upon the groups that they represent. It also provided a forum in which organisations can meet with other consumer and small business representatives on key energy issues.
The Customer Consultative Group will now comprise members from:
- The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
- Consumer Action Law Centre
- Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre
- Council of Small Business of Australia
- COTA Australia
- Ethnic Communities Council of NSW
- National Retail Association
- Public Interest Advocacy Centre
- Queensland Council of Social Service
- St Vincent de Paul Society
- Tasmanian Council of Social Service
- UnitingCare Australia
The group has been appointed for a minimum two-year term. It meets three times each year in Melbourne.
The first meeting of the new group will be held in July 2014.
The CCG complements other engagement strategies developed by the AER, including the Consumer Challenge Panel and jurisdictional consultative groups.