The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has today published its annual compliance and enforcement report, which details its activities during 2024–25 to improve compliance and protect consumers.
AER Chair, Clare Savage, said the AER’s achievements last financial year demonstrate its commitment to protecting consumers from harmful behaviour and ensuring a secure and reliable energy supply. These efforts resulted in:
- More than $53 million in penalties from four court outcomes and 25 infringement notices
- Two enforceable undertakings accepted
- 13 compliance publications that were developed following consultation with stakeholders
A number of the AER’s outcomes in 2024–25 help to ensure consumers experiencing vulnerability receive the protections they are entitled to.
“We will continue to act where we see serious issues impacting consumers experiencing vulnerability, including those requiring life support equipment and consumers affected by family violence,” Ms Savage said.
In February 2025, the AER published guidance for energy retailers to foster understanding and compliance with their obligations to support customers affected by family violence.
The AER has also focused its efforts on ensuring retailers identify and support consumers experiencing difficulties paying their bill, including by offering hardship program assistance and affordable payment plans.
Ms Savage said that through its compliance activities in 2024–25, the AER has identified ways that many retailers could improve their hardship policies and have continued to engage with retailers to review and update their policies.
The AER has also undertaken work to make it easier for consumers to understand their bills and energy plans, including ensuring retailers comply with the Better Bills Guideline.
Over 2024–25, the AER has published guidance to educate retailers on their obligations under the Better Bills Guideline and has introduced a requirement for retailers who reuse plan names to include more information on customer bills so that it is clear to customers if a cheaper plan is available.
“We expect retailers to familiarise themselves with this guidance and ensure they are meeting their obligations so that the information they include in bills is clear and helps customers make informed decisions about their energy plans,” Ms Savage said.
The AER has remained focused on monitoring and enforcing compliance to support power system security and efficient electricity and gas markets.
The AER also published guidelines for gas pipeline service providers, detailing how the AER interprets and applies various compliance obligations under the Gas Law and Rules, and setting out better practice considerations to help participants align with the industry standards.
“We will continue to proactively engage with market participants to encourage compliance with the relevant rules and laws, and will take appropriate action against non-compliance to address harm,” Ms Savage said.
The AER recently published its Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2025-26, introducing new priorities which include protecting consumers during the smart meter rollout as well as improving compliance with ring-fencing obligations.
