19 January 2023

Submission on the Essential Services Commission’s Victorian Default Offer 2023-24 Consultation Paper

It is essential that the Program and the AER class waiver enable other potential actors to enter the market, contribute to removing existing barriers to broader uptake, and promote innovation and competition in the sector
Energy Consumers Australia

Energy Consumers Australia thanks the Essential Services Commission (ESC) for the opportunity to comment on the Victorian Default Offer 2023-24 Consultation Paper. The Victorian Default Offer (VDO) is an important tool safeguarding consumers from unaffordable energy prices and we commend the ESC’s continued efforts to ensure it continues to do so.

Read our submission (PDF, 317.74KB)

In our submission we:

  • Offer our support to the ESC’s decision to not make major changes to the overall methodology
  • Agree that retail costs should not be indexed in line with large increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
  • Question whether the retail margin remains at a reasonable level given increases to the overall VDO bill
  • Highlight the importance of building consumer trust in an environment of rising energy costs.
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