annual report 08-09 - Public Interest Advocacy Centre

CONSUMER RIGHTS & PROTECTION
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protections and social programs to ensure consumers are not
adversely affected.
Water price determinations
PIAC submissions and presentations to the Hunter and Central
Coast water price determinations alerted the Independent
Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to the impacts of price
rises on disadvantaged households. IPART decisions about price
paths, pensioner rebates, dialysis rebates, hardship policies, and
complaints resolution were all influenced by PIAC representations.
Electricity price hikes
Late in the year, IPART announced that NSW consumers would
soon experience a 20 per cent increase in electricity prices.
EWCAP used the media to publicly express concern about the
impact this price increase would have on low-income and other
disadvantaged consumers. Faced with growing community
concern, the Minister for Energy committed to bring forward a
multi-million dollar consumer safety net that included an increase
in the pensioner energy rebate and more funding for financial
counselling services and for electricity vouchers.
Throughout the year, EWCAP met with various customer councils,
consumer advocates and community welfare organisations
to voice concerns about issues deemed likely to impact upon
residential energy consumers including price increases, emissions
trading, energy rebates, and hardship programs.
Advocacy for consumers with disability
During the year, PIAC (through EWCAP) supported a campaign
by MS Australia on the introduction of an energy rebate designed
to assist sufferers of thermoregulatory diseases. Sufferers of
thermoregulatory diseases rely heavily on air conditioning and
space-heating, and therefore high energy bills, due to the impact of
higher or lower than normal core body temperature on their illness.
As part of this campaign PIAC contributed towards the cost of data
analysis and production of a report published by the MS Society,
Keeping Cool Survey: Air conditioner use by Australians with MS,
which was launched in May 2009. PIAC also made representations
to the NSW Minister for Energy and NSW Department of Water
and Energy in support of the introduction of an energy rebate for
people with thermoregulatory disease.
PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTRE • ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009