An Act to amend the Electricity Supply Act 1995 and the Gas Supply Act 1996 with respect to the provision and publication of retail pricing information for electricity and gas.
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Electricity and Gas Supply Legislation Amendment (Retail Price Disclosures and Comparisons) Act 2010.
2 Commencement
This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.
Schedule 1 Amendments
[1] Section 181A
Insert after section 181:181A Retail price disclosure and comparison(1) It is a condition of a retail supplier’s licence that the retail supplier must provide its pricing information in relation to the supply of electricity to and by small retail customers:(a) at a readily accessible location on its website, and(b) to any person on request, and(c) to the Tribunal.(2) The Minister may issue guidelines relating to the kind of pricing information to be provided and the time at which and the manner and form in which that pricing information is to be provided. It is a condition of a retail supplier’s licence that the retail supplier must provide its pricing information in accordance with any such guidelines that the Minister issues to it from time to time.(3) The Tribunal is to publish the pricing information, in a form that enables small retail customers to meaningfully compare the tariffs and charges of retail suppliers, on its website and in any other manner as it sees fit.(4) It is a condition of a retail supplier’s licence that the retail supplier, when providing pricing information, must ensure that:(a) the information is accurate and up to date, and(b) the information is provided free of charge, and(c) the information provided on its website includes a clearly marked link to the Tribunal’s website, or if the Tribunal directs that the link be to a specified part of the Tribunal’s website, to that specified part.(5) The Minister is to review this section as soon as possible after 1 July 2013 to determine whether its policy objectives remain valid and whether its terms remain appropriate for securing those objectives. A report on the outcome of the review is to be tabled in each House of Parliament before 1 July 2014.(6) In this section:pricing information means information of a kind (including, but is not limited to, any tariff, charge, fee, benefit, credit, discount, rebate, premium, term or condition) specified in the guidelines issued by the Minister under this section.
[2] Schedule 6 Savings, transitional and other provisions
Insert at the end of clause 1 (1):Electricity and Gas Supply Legislation Amendment (Retail Price Disclosures and Comparisons) Act 2010, but only to the extent that it amends this Act
[1] Section 76A
Insert before section 76:76A Retail price disclosure and comparison(1) It is a condition of a supplier’s authorisation that the supplier must provide its pricing information in relation to the supply of natural gas to small retail customers:(a) at a readily accessible location on its website, and(b) to any person on request, and(c) to the Tribunal.(2) The Minister may issue guidelines relating to the kind of pricing information to be provided and the time at which and the manner and form in which that pricing information is to be provided. It is a condition of a supplier’s authorisation that the supplier must provide its pricing information in accordance with any such guidelines that the Minister issues to it from time to time.(3) The Tribunal is to publish the pricing information, in a form that enables small retail customers to meaningfully compare the tariffs and charges of suppliers, on its website and in any other manner as it sees fit.(4) It is a condition of a supplier’s authorisation that the supplier, when providing pricing information, must ensure that:(a) the information is accurate and up to date, and(b) the information is provided free of charge, and(c) the information provided on its website includes a clearly marked link to the Tribunal’s website, or if the Tribunal directs that the link be to a specified part of the Tribunal’s website, to that specified part.(5) The Minister is to review this section as soon as possible after 1 July 2013 to determine whether its policy objectives remain valid and whether its terms remain appropriate for securing those objectives. A report on the outcome of the review is to be tabled in each House of Parliament before 1 July 2014.(6) In this section:pricing information means information of a kind (including, but is not limited to, any tariff, charge, fee, benefit, credit, discount, rebate, premium, term or condition) specified in the guidelines issued by the Minister under this section.
[2] Schedule 2 Savings, transitional and other provisions
Insert at the end of clause 1 (1):Electricity and Gas Supply Legislation Amendment (Retail Price Disclosures and Comparisons) Act 2010, but only to the extent that it amends this Act