About us

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is Australia’s national energy market regulator and an independent statutory authority. The AER is funded by the Commonwealth, with staff, resources and facilities, provided from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Table of contents

Governance and decision making
- Organisational structure
- Strategic publications

The AER operates under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (The Act). Our functions are set out in national energy market legislation and rules, and mostly relate to energy markets in eastern and southern Australia. These functions include:

setting the prices charged for using energy networks (electricity poles and wires and gas pipelines) to transport energy to customers
monitoring wholesale electricity and gas markets to ensure suppliers comply with the legislation and rules, and taking enforcement action where necessary
publishing information on energy markets, including the annual State of the energy market report and more detailed market and compliance reporting, to assist participants and the wider community
assisting the ACCC with energy-related issues arising under the Competition and Consumer Act, including enforcement, mergers and authorisations.

The AER assumed new responsibilities in July 2012 for regulating retail energy markets in the ACT and Tasmania (for electricity only). These responsibilities are wide ranging and include monitoring and enforcing compliance with the National Energy Retail Law (NERL); authorising retailers to sell energy; approving retailers’ policies for dealing with customers in hardship; administering a national retailer of last resort scheme, to protect customers and the market if a retail business fails; and reporting on retailer performance and market activity. New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia will commence the National Energy Retail Law as soon as is practicable (start dates for these jurisdictions have yet to be confirmed). Queensland is yet to consider its position. In these jurisdictions, state and territory governments will remain responsible for regulating retail energy markets and in some instances regulating retail energy prices. Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not propose to implement the reforms.

Governance and decision making

The AER Board is an independent entity. The AER Board is currently comprised of three members who are statutory appointments, including a full-time chair. Mr Andrew Reeves is the Chair of the AER. The Act provides that one of the members of the AER must be a commissioner of the ACCC, with Mr Edward Willett appointed in this capacity. Ms Cristina Cifuentes is the AER member selected by the States and Territories.

The chair of the AER must preside at all meetings of the AER and a quorum must include both the chair and the member of the AER appointed by the Commonwealth. Questions arising at a meeting must be determined by unanimous vote of the members present and voting.

The AER may make decisions in relation to its functions under the National Electricity Law, National Gas Law and National Retail Law. The AER can seek an order from the Federal Court that a person is in breach of a relevant energy law.

Decisions of the AER are subject to judicial review by the Federal Court of Australia.

Organisational structure

The office of the AER is responsible for providing timely, quality advice to the Board to support its decision-making responsibilities. The office of the AER in consultation with the Board is responsible to the ACCC for governance and efficient management of resources.

AER organisational chart (2 formats available)