EOQ Update - What's New?

EOQ joins ANZEWON and ANZOA
To keep in line with our counterparts in other states, EOQ has joined the Australia & New Zealand Energy and Water Ombudsman Network (ANZEWON) and the Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA).

ANZEWON
Becoming a member of ANZEWON gives us the opportunity to work closely with other energy ombudsman offices at a national level. One role of ANZEWON is to ensure operational consistency amongst ombudsman offices due to the many national energy retailers (scheme members) we have in common. Of course, not all operations can be exactly the same across states due to the different jurisdictional responsibilities, geographical nature and complaint types unique to each state.
ANZOA
ANZOA is a broad network of both industry and statutory ombudsman schemes which enables exchange of information and ideas about best practice models. Ombudsman staff from the various national and state-based Ombudsman schemes work together across a range of similar issues including policy, public relations, learning and development, and community outreach strategies.

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Inaugural meeting of the EOQ Advisory Council
Karen Chalmers-Scott, Chairperson of the EOQ Advisory Council, convened the Council's first meeting on 19 September 2007. High on the agenda was discussion of the Council's role and how it will operate. Council Members were also briefed on the EOQ scheme's establishment, operations and case handling processes.

The primary responsibility of the Council is to, within the framework of the Energy Ombudsman Act 2006, oversight the operation of the EOQ scheme. This includes monitoring its independence. The Council will also provide advice to the Energy Ombudsman on policy, procedural and operational issues and on the preparation of budgets, guidelines and annual reports.

Ms Chalmers-Scott brings extensive practical experience in regulatory, commercial, consulting, advocacy and education roles to her role of independent Chairperson, including three years as General Manager Customer Affairs with Victoria's energy and water regulator.

The ten person Advisory Council has equal community and industry representation:

Margaret Campbell-Ryder (Queensland Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association)
Phil Craig (Origin Energy)
Jim Galvin (AGL Queensland)
Tom Gilpin (Australian Power & Gas)
Ian Jarratt (Queensland Consumers Association)
Jill Lang (Queensland Council of Social Service)
Robert Leach (St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland)
Myra Pincott (Queensland Country Women's Association)
Fraser Power (Ergon Energy)
Mike Swanston (ENERGEX)

Council meetings will be held every two months, with the next meeting planned for 21 November 2007.

Members of the EOQ Advisory Council at their inaugural meeting in September 2007.

Current EOQ scheme members
Under the Energy Ombudsman Act 2006, all energy distributors and retailers who supply Queensland's small energy consumers with electricity or gas must become EOQ scheme members. Small consumers are classed as those whose annual electricity consumption is less than 100 megawatt hours a year (under $15,000) and/or whose gas consumption is less than one terrajoule a year (under $15,000).

Below is a list of current Energy Ombudsman Scheme members.

'Electricity retailers' (the companies that bill consumers for their electricity use)

'Electricity distributors' (the companies that own the poles and wires and distribute electricity to homes and businesses)

ENERGEX (south-east Queensland)
Ergon Energy (regional Queensland)

'Gas retailers' (the companies that bill consumers for their reticulated gas use)

'Gas distributors' (the companies that own the pipelines that distribute reticulated gas to homes and businesses)

*Dalby and Roma Town Councils each hold a retail authority that permits them to retail natural gas to customers within their distribution network area. Customers within these area are currently excluded from retail competition and must contact their area retailer to arrange natural gas supply.

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