Aims of the Group Under the Retail Rules the AER is required to establish and maintain a Customer Consultative Group (CCG). The Retail Rules state that the CCG's purpose is to provide advice to the AER in relation to its functions under the energy laws affecting energy consumers across participating jurisdictions. CCG meetings are held up to three times a year.
The inaugural CCG was appointed in 2009 to enable informal consulatation on the development of retail guidelines and to assist the AER in developing an understanding of retail issues prior to the commencement of the Retail Law and Rules on 1 July 2012.
Since the first CCG meeting, membership has provided participating organisations with the opportunity to inform the AER about issues that impact on the groups they represent. It also provides members with the opportunity to meet with other consumer representatives to discuss key energy consumer issues.
In 2011 the AER reconstituted its CCG for a two year period ending in late 2013.
How the Group works Members are required to consult with their constituency outside the CCG meetings and members are expected to provide comment on:
issues and energy market developments affecting energy consumers that fall within the scope of the AER's functions under the National Electricity Law, the National Gas Law and the National Energy Retail Law;
information dissemination strategies and appropriate external networks available to enhance communication with community and consumer groups and energy consumers; and
issues as requested by the AER.
By providing advice on the above issues, members assist the AER in carrying out its functions under the national energy legislation.
Current membership There are currently 10 members of the CCG. You can access the member websites by clicking on their title: