2018-10-11
The recently released Energy and Water Ombudsman annual report reveals complaints about NSW's energy retailers have risen 12% over the past year, strengthening the Greens NSW push for a public-owned energy retailer.
Billing and customer service issues top the list of complaints made in 2017/18.
Greens NSW Energy Spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham said, "NSW is stuck in a vicious cycle where the more the community is encouraged to 'shop around' and interact with energy retailers, the more frustrating they find the experience and the more legitimate complaints are made.
"The customers are not mugs. They know the real power lies with the big energy companies and energy retailers, not with individuals and families who are trying to rein in the cost of living or receive the customer service they deserve.
"The average person doesn't have the time to interrogate the minutiae of their power bills or fine print of rival energy plans and telling them to shop around just builds that frustration.
"The Greens believe that a public-owned energy retailer in NSW would focus on the needs of the community over profits and help restore this balance to the energy market.
"A public-owned energy retailer would give people better choice and drive down electricity prices in NSW. It would have a mandate to deliver low prices rather than maximise profits, and also model best-practice customer service and create values that would serve as a model for all electricity retailers.
"A non-profit, government-owned electricity retailer could also fast-track investment in wind and solar and electricity battery storage, helping power NSW towards zero energy emissions and generate jobs in local, large-scale renewable projects," he said.
Annual Report 2017/2018 of NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman available here:
https://www.ewon.com.au/page/media-center/news/publications-and-submissions/annual-report-20172018-strengthening-consumer-protections\<https://www.ewon.com.au/page/media-center/news/publications-and-submissions/annual-report-20172018-strengthening-consumer-protections/>