Join
room hire
need help?
Donate

New AEMC consumer protections for smart meters welcomed by SACOSS

New AEMC consumer protections for smart meters welcomed by SACOSS

The South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) welcomed moves by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) to increase protections for future SA smart meter households. But it’s clear more must be done to protect low-income SA smart meter households currently facing time of use (or so-called ‘surge’) tariffs.

All consumers in the National Electricity Market (which includes South Australia) will be moved onto smart meters by 2030.

Under the new AEMC ruling, consumers receiving a smart meter upgrade can only be switched over to new tariff structures if the retailer obtains the customer’s explicit informed consent. Currently retailers can impose these new tariffs without a customer’s consent. However, the ruling does not apply to households that already have smart meters. In addition, the period of time before retailers can switch consumers over to the new tariffs has now been reduced from a proposed three years down to two.

This new ruling also means AEMC will require retailers to offer a flat rate standing offer as an option for households that cannot respond to time of use pricing. Moreover, standing offers, although capped by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), are generally more expensive than market offers, and retailers have already removed flat rate market offers for existing smart meter customers. SACOSS believes both new and existing smart meter customers should be able to access the new flat rate standing offers.

Quotes attributable to Ross Womersley, SACOSS CEO

We welcome any initiative that increases consumer protections around smart meters. We’ve been advocating for many years that the smart meter rollout was not being planned or executed appropriately, and today’s ruling is definitely a step in the right direction.

Up until now, consumers had very little agency: you got a smart meter whether you wanted it or not, and you were placed on these time of use, or surge, tariffs by retailers whether you wanted them or not.

It was left up to the consumer to understand what was going on – and the first indication consumers often got was one of shock when they received their first bill after a smart meter was installed. They found that they had been placed, without their consent, on a whole new regime of ‘time-of-use’ charging that had not been communicated or explained.

It’s particularly devastating for energy consumers on lower incomes. Energy is an essential service and going without it is not an option for anyone. But now South Australian households on lower incomes who have been placed on smart meters are faced with impossible decisions: trying to shift their energy usage behaviour to some imaginary ideal or choosing between other essentials such as food or medicine in order to pay their energy bills.

SACOSS logo

08 8305 4222

sacoss@sacoss.org.au

Marjorie Black House
47 King William Road Unley SA 5061

Facebook X-twitter Linkedin
Donate
Join

About Us

Policy and advocacy

News

SACOSS acknowledges the traditional owners of unceded country throughout South Australia, and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and culture. We recognise the sovereignty and cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and pay our respect to elders both past and present.

© Copyright 2024 SACOSS | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Built By Marketing Sweet
Scroll to Top

KELLY VINCENT

Kelly is a writer and an advocate living on Kaurna land. At age 20, they won the State Theatre’s Young Guns Award for young playwrights for Gravity. At 21, they became Australia’s youngest Member of Parliament and first-ever appointed specifically on the platform of disability rights. From 2010 to 2018, Kelly represented the Dignity Party in the Upper House of South Australia’s State Parliament, making vital changes to the way service providers, the built environment, and the justice system respond to the needs of disabled people. They are now Creative Director of True Ability, a disabled persons’ theatre company they co-founded in 2020.

CHERYL AXELBY

Cheryl is a proud Narungga Woman, living on Kaurna land, and is passionate about improving the quality of life for her people. Cheryl has extensive experience working with Aboriginal communities, and federal and state government sectors at senior and executive level in a career spanning over 43 years. Currently she is National Co-Chair of Change the Record, Head of Aboriginal Housing – Housing SA and in March 2024 she was elected as the Central Region 1 representative in the historic First Nations Voice to SA Parliament.

DAVE ADAMSON

Dave moved to Australia following a 30-year academic career in the UK. He has since worked in the Community Housing sector and authored the 2016 Towards a National Housing Strategy, and helped to establish the Everybody’s Home campaign. He also researches the interface between poverty and climate change and actively supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He has worked with government at all levels and has experience of policy development and evaluation. He is co-author of Sustainable Places: Addressing Social Inequality and Environmental Crisis (2022, Routledge). In his spare time he plays and builds guitars.

ROHAN FEEGRADE

Rohan is an experienced and forward-thinking CEO, senior executive and board director with demonstrated expertise across the not-for-profit, private and government sectors. Currently CEO of Lutheran Care, he has proven record for creating substantial organisational, stakeholder and client value, and has extensive experience in strategically positioning organisations for transformational change and growth within the health, disability, education and community service sectors. Rohan is a socially responsible professional, genuinely passionate about creating opportunities for people who live with disadvantage and disability, always acting ethically to serve those he works with and for.

DR JEN CLEARY

Jen is a human geographer, with a background spanning social services and social policy ,vocational and higher education and regional, rural and remote research and development. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Centacare Catholic Country SA (CCCSA), a for-purpose organisation providing social services in regional, rural and remote communities in South Australia, across a footprint of some 980,000 square km. She was awarded a PhD in Geography from the University of SA in 2014. She holds an adjunct professorial position with the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University and is a member of the Advisory Panel for the University of SA Justice and Society Arts Program.

NANCY PENNA

Nancy has than 30 years of experience in South Australian community services, and a a unique understanding of the political and social landscape and the issues and opportunities facing South Australia. Currently responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of AnglicareSA’s community services portfolio, she has previously held executive roles in government within child protection and disability, with her executive experience underpinned by her earlier career as a social worker in child protection and youth justice. She is also Chair of the Child and Family Focus South Australia (CAFFSA) Board and most recently on the Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce.

NICOLE CHAPLIN

Nicole is a dedicated and experienced youth support professional, specialising in solutions for disadvantaged young people in South Australia. As CEO of St John’s Youth Services, she oversees innovative programs like youth110 and Foyer Port Adelaide. With over thirty years in the community sector, Nicole has built extensive networks and her expertise spans governance, service delivery, policy development, and partnerships. Recognised with the 2018 AHI Inspirational Leader Award, Nicole is an active participant in housing and homelessness networks. She holds leadership roles in various organisations, including Anglicare Australia’s National Reconciliation Network.

EMMA CROSBY

Emma is a chartered Accountant with more than 15 years experience as a board member, finance and business professional, strategic advisor and company secretary. She has strong values and a passion for enabling and leading organisations to meet its operational and strategic direction through long-term financial sustainability, operational efficiency, innovation, leadership, transformation and partnerships. As Treasurer and Board member at SACOSS, she is committed to successfully leading and making a purposeful impact to the organisation and its stakeholders.

David PANTER

David has worked in health and social care for almost 45 years, over half of which has been as a Chief Executive. In the UK he initially worked in the NHS and more latterly in local government, where he was Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council. In 2004 David was recruited to the South Australian public health system for over 10 years leading reforms including the development of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. From 2015-2022 David was the Chief Executive of not-for-profit aged care provider ECH. At the end of January 2022 David became the Chief Executive at Minda, SA’s largest provider of services to people living with an intellectual disability.

Skip to content