Australian Energy Regulator Chair Clare Savage has delivered two significant speeches in August, each exploring the challenges and opportunities facing regulators in a rapidly changing world.
Speaking first at Energy Networks Australia’s annual Regulation Seminar and then opening the 2025 ACCC/AER Regulatory Conference in Brisbane, Ms Savage reflected on a set of common themes central to the AER’s work: the pace of change in markets, the role of technology, the importance of collaboration, and the need to keep consumers at the heart of decision-making.
She noted that markets - from energy to digital - are evolving faster than ever, driven by innovation, the energy transition, and advances in artificial intelligence.
This speed creates both opportunity and risk. Regulators must be agile, but also deliberate, ensuring that evidence and engagement guide every step.
Technology is reshaping the way services are delivered and consumed, and regulatory frameworks need to adapt to support innovation while safeguarding fairness and consumer protection.
Ms Savage emphasised that meeting these challenges requires collaboration across regulators, industry, academia and consumer groups. By bringing diverse perspectives together, she said, we can design solutions that work for everyone.
Above all, she reinforced that consumers must remain at the centre of regulatory thinking. Whether through fairer prices, more choice, or better service, the ultimate measure of success is how change benefits the people we serve.
While acknowledging that regulators cannot afford to move too slowly, Ms Savage cautioned that speed without purpose carries its own risks. The art of regulation, she said, lies in knowing when to move quickly and when to proceed with care.
Energy Networks Australia Regulation Seminar - Keynote regulator's address
ACCC/AER Regulatory Conference - Opening address