• About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Events
Friday, July 11, 2025
Newsletter
SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
No Results
View All Results
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
No Results
View All Results
Home

Stronger energy laws now in effect

by Kim Ho
June 11, 2020
in Company news, Electricity, News, Policy, Retail
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Big stick energy legislation misconduct
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Federal Government has announced new legislative measures to hold energy companies to account for pricing misconduct are now enforceable.

The ‘big stick’ legislation came into effect on 10 June 2020, six months after royal assent.

It will ensure reductions in wholesale costs are passed onto customers, while penalties will apply for anti-competitive behaviour or moves to manipulate electricity prices.

It is hoped the measures will drive down energy prices and strengthen supply, ensuring fair deals on energy prices for Australian households, small businesses and industries.

The new legislation is motivated in part by findings from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that energy companies have “played a major role in poor outcomes for consumers”.

This new law comes at a time when an increased number of households and small businesses are experiencing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The ACCC will be responsible for enforcing the legislation, and will have a graduated range of penalties at its disposal to punish misconduct ranging from public warnings and court-ordered fines.

For the most egregious breaches, the legislation makes available two additional significant remedies:

  • Federal Treasurer-issued contracting orders that will require electricity companies to offer electricity financial contracts to third parties
  • Federal Court-ordered divestiture orders relating to misconduct in the wholesale market

This legislation is part of the Federal Government’s plan to deliver a fairer, more affordable and reliable energy system and a stronger economy for all Australians. This includes:

  • Establishing an ongoing ACCC inquiry into the National Electricity Market to 2025
  • Introducing the Government’s Default Market Offer ‘price safety net’, leading to reductions in both standing offers and high-priced market offers for Australian families and small businesses
  • Getting rid of sneaky late payment penalties
  • Extending the Consumer Data Right to energy, to make it easier for consumers to switch energy providers to get a better deal
  • Progressing the Underwriting New Generation Investments program to improve competition and reduce wholesale prices
  • Establishing a new $1 billion Grid Reliability Fund, to support government investment in new energy generation, storage and transmission infrastructure

Related Posts

Image: Suprachai/stock.adobe.com

Taking the guesswork out of remote operations

by Katie Livingston
July 9, 2025

For Australian utilities, delayed visibility isn’t just an operational inconvenience – it carries environmental, financial and reputational risks.  It can...

Image: WIOA 

Join us at WIOA Newcastle 2025

by Katie Livingston
July 9, 2025

The 2025 Water Industry Operations Association (WIOA) New South Wales Conference and exhibition kicks off on 23 July 2025 –...

Image: AGIG

Hydrogen Park Gladstone officially powers up

by Katie Livingston
July 9, 2025

Australia’s first whole-of-city renewable hydrogen project has celebrated more than six months of successful operations, with Hydrogen Park Gladstone now officially...

Please login to join discussion

Read our magazine

Join our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.
Utility is the title of choice for decision makers at all levels of water and energy utilities, as well as other major players like consulting engineers and first-tier contractors. Utility is integrated across print and online, and explores the biggest news and issues across the utility industry. It is Australia’s only dedicated utility magazine, and covers all areas of the utility sector, including water and sewer, gas, electricity, communications and the NBN.

Subscribe to our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.

About Utility

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Digital magazine
  • Events
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Collection Notice
  • Privacy Policy

Popular Topics

  • News
  • Water
  • Electricity
  • Projects
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Spotlight
  • Civil Construction
  • Renewable Energy

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited

No Results
View All Results
NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited