What's working - and what's not?

In past reports and submissions, EWON has drawn attention to systemic gaps in affordability protections in the NECF, including the need to interrogate the role of disconnection.²²

The energy sector has seen concerted efforts to engage customers and truly treat disconnection as a last resort action. The Energy Charter’s Knock to Stay Connected initiative demonstrates the value of an approach that focuses on engagement and assistance – not chasing debt. This engagement also brings a human factor, with the in-person touchpoint seeing firsthand who the disconnectionw ill impact, ie essential workers, babies, small children, students, seniors and cohorts at risk of vulnerability. Efforst like this should be best practice standards, and not dependent on whether a customer is with a particular retailer or network area. 

There is also growing recognition that the affordability framework needs to evolve to be properly fit for purpose, with work like:

• AER’s review of the payment difficulties framework in the NECF  

• AER’s previous Game Changer and Toward Energy Equity work 

• Commonwealth Government’s Better Energy Customer Experiences review.
   

The energy sector has seen some positive developments so far because of these reviews, including the AER's in-progress rule change requestes to improve existing disconnection and affordability protections in the NECF.²³

But disconnections are still causing harm and make it harder for people to climb out of crisis. EWON is calling for bolder changes to address systemic gaps in the affordability framework and avoid these harms where possible.