Harada, T., Tibbs, M., Salami, K., Waitt, G. and Gordon, R. (2025) Learning the Hard Way: Energy Practices of CALD International Students in Rental Accommodation – Final Report for Energy Consumers Australia.

This Project builds strong, coordinated, collegiate, and evidence-based advocacy for ACT small energy consumers and leverages the ACT’s early adopter role to distil and communicate lessons for other jurisdictions and the AER. It strengthens community sector capacity to ensure the transition to net zero emissions is fair, fast and inclusive.

This report was made possible through the generous support of Energy Consumers Australia via the Gill Owen Scholarship. The scholarship enabled first hand research in California, comparing its energy transition policies, regulatory design, and electrification challenges to those in Australia. With the urgency of climate action and rising energy costs, this research aimed to assess how both jurisdictions are reforming their gas and electricity systems. This report combines seven articles into thematic chapters covering gas phase-out pathways, rule reform advocacy, equitable electrification, and regulatory innovation. It compares efforts to support vulnerable communities, tackle grid bottlenecks, and plan for precinct-level energy transformation. Each article is presented as a standalone chapter, preserving its references