Today the AER released its final decision on the proposal to make an Annual Compliance Order (ACO) for gas pipelines, as a general regulatory information order under section 48(1)(b) of the National Gas Law (NGL). This decision follows public consultation on the consultation paper in February 2024, and on the draft decision in April 2024.
The ACO will be used to obtain information from gas pipeline service providers at the end of every financial year in accordance with our information gathering powers under the NGL. The new ACO commences on 1 July 2024 with reporting to start at the end of the 2024-25 financial year.
The new ACO will allow the AER to monitor compliance more effectively, contributing to maintaining a transparent and competitive gas market to the benefit both consumers and service providers.
We considered a range of stakeholder submissions in reaching a final decision. View our explanatory note here for an overview of our responses to stakeholder submissions on the draft decision.