Life support protections are some of the most important safeguards in the energy market. Our submission to the Essential Services Commission (ESC)'s Better Protections for Life Support Customers in Victoria: Consultation Paper, highlights our concerns that proposed life support changes could place additional responsibility and risks onto vulnerable consumers.
We support the goal of improving the accuracy of life support registers, but the current proposals would shift responsibility to households rather than retailers and distributors. Any reforms should focus on improving the processes of retailers and distributors that lead to inaccurate registers and strengthening consumer protections.
Reforms should align roles and responsibilities with the parties best placed to manage risk, avoid any loss of eligibility for current life support households, respect the agency of vulnerable people, and minimise the burden on them and their carers. Above all, no change should leave a life support household worse off or put them at greater risk.
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