11 July 2023
ACOSS welcomes the release of the gas market code and is urging the government to take
further steps to make energy affordable as an essential service for people on low and modest
incomes.
ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie said: “International gas corporations are making enormous
profits from public resources while soaring energy bills are forcing people on lower incomes to
choose between heating their homes and eating three meals a day.
“The gas code will increase the necessary regulation of these companies and the $12/GJ price
cap should help put downward pressure on household gas prices.
“The energy minister should monitor the exemptions to the cap, which could allow too many
companies to exceed the cap and make very large returns.
“The government should do more to ensure energy is affordable for people on lower incomes,
including:
- substantially lifting income support payments including Youth Allowance and JobSeeker,
- stepping in to reduce the default market offer,
- investing further in energy efficiency, electrification and solar retrofits for low-income
housing, including mandatory energy performance rental standards and - assisting states to reform energy concessions
ACOSS is also urging the government to:
- Establish a domestic gas reserve to guarantee domestic supply rather than rely on
exemptions to the cap to guarantee domestic supply - Impose a 10 percent royalty on offshore gas production to fund a transition away from
gas - Work with energy retailers to provide energy debt relief to people in energy hardship