Annual Report 2019 ABOUT EWOV Our purpose Our goal Our values Accessible, fair, To independently and To be a fair, impartial Independence, independent efficiently resolve and highly respected access, equity, quality, disputes between dispute resolution effectiveness, efficiency, customers and energy service community awareness, and efficient and water companies in linkages Victoria and reduce their dispute occurrence resolution Cynthia Gebert In our report Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) ABOUT EWOV 1 EWOV acknowledges the Traditional ‘’… we take account of relevant industry codes, good industry Owners of country on which we operate 2018-19 SNAPSHOTS 2 throughout Victoria and recognises their practice and the law, to reach fair and reasonable outcomes ...’’ GOVERNANCE 4 continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to FROM THE OMBUDSMAN 6 Elders past, present and emerging. OUR PERFORMANCE 10 Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV) was set EWOV can deal with most issues that arise between CASEWORK AND PROCESS 18 REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES up in late 1995 as Australia’s first electricity Ombudsman. energy and water customers and companies. Billing is ISSUES AND TRENDS 26 Our Annual Report is prepared and The EWOV dispute resolution scheme opened to full the largest area of complaint, making up 44% of our BILLING 29 distributed in accordance with the operation in May 1996. EWOV’s jurisdiction has since caseload in 2018-19. We also deal with complaints Ombudsman’s responsibilities under expanded to natural gas (1999), water (2001), liquefied about service connection and supply, affordability, CREDIT 32 the EWOV Charter and the Benchmarks petroleum gas (LPG) (2005) and, most recently, to energy disconnection, water restriction, energy PROVISION 36 for Industry-Based Customer Dispute embedded networks (2018). In total, up to 30 June 2019, marketing, switching energy retailer, metering, vegetation Resolution (CDR Benchmarks). we had helped resolve 685,928 cases lodged by Victorian management and land access. TRANSFER 38 electricity, gas and water customers. While EWOV’s primary role is the resolution of complaints, SUPPLY 39 DATA NOTE The EWOV dispute resolution scheme operates on an our purpose also requires us to work to reduce the This report reflects data for the year LAND 41 industry-based Ombudsman model. EWOV is not a occurrence of complaints. Our publication of high quality, 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, run at government body or an industry regulator. The framework independent information and advice about the customer MARKETING 42 3 July 2019. Percentages are rounded to for its operation is drawn from the EWOV Charter, the experience of the energy and water industries makes the nearest whole number, so may not CUSTOMER SERVICE 44 EWOV Limited Constitution, licence conditions for the this information available to prevent future complaints. always total to 100%. All cases refer to PRIVACY 45 cases received unless otherwise stated. electricity and gas industries, the General Exemption Through a comprehensive outreach program, we build Order 2017 for embedded networks, relevant water awareness of EWOV, improve its accessibility, and reach SOLAR 46 legislation, the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry code community organisations with information they can use to MORE ON OUR WEBSITE EMBEDDED NETWORK 48 and the Benchmarks for Industry-based Customer Dispute help the consumers who seek their advice. By maintaining The online version of this report at SYSTEMIC ISSUES 50 Resolution (CDR Benchmarks). effective collaborative relationships with energy and water www.ewov.com.au presents companies and regulators, we help drive customer service EWOV specialises in dispute resolution using alternative SCHEME PARTICIPANTS 52 visualisations and graphical improvements. By identifying systemic issues and reporting representations of the cases EWOV dispute resolution (ADR) processes. The complaints that ELECTRICITY 55 them to energy and water companies and to regulators, we received in 2018-19. energy and water customers bring to us are assessed on a help ensure these issues are recognised and addressed. GAS 62 case-by-case basis. We take account of relevant industry codes, good industry practice and the law, to reach fair WATER 68 Board photography by James Grant. and reasonable outcomes. We don’t take sides. FINANCIALS 74 Other photography by Hilary Sloane unless otherwise stated. 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 1 2018-19 SNAPSHOTS 2018-19 SNAPSHOTS CASES BY INDUSTRY CASES BY ISSUE 44% Billing 13,699 20% Credit 6,109 1,721 13% Provision 3,976 Water 11% 10% Transfer 3,089 31,180 4% Supply 1,278 3% General Enquiry 872 10,384 CASES WERE 2% Customer Service 746 Gas 8% 2% Land 706 2% Marketing 576 RECEIVED 10% <1% Privacy 129 ENQUIRIES 18,800 1,921 14% COMPLAINTS Electricity 11% 29,259 11% Note: During 2018-19 we also received 45 cases about dual fuel and 230 cases related to other industries. 5-YEAR HISTORY 60,000 50,437 50,000 36,152 RETAIL ENERGY CREDIT 40,000 34,524 32,002 31,180 OVER CASES FELL 30,000 96,000 25% $2,741,057 20,000 ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS DRIVEN BY THE PROVIDED FOR CUSTOMERS IN EMBEDDED NETWORKS INTRODUCTION OF THE THROUGH EWOV’S DISPUTE GAINED ACCESS TO EWOV PAYMENT DIFFICULTY RESOLUTION PROCESSES 10,000 FRAMEWORK 0 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2 ENERGY AND WATER OMBUDSMAN (VICTORIA) 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 3 GOVERNANCE GOVERNANCE Chairman’s message EWOV Limited Board Each year, in considering the annual plan and budget, the Board scans the environment in which EWOV operates, to identify the strategic challenges. Jonathan Briskin Gerard Brody Gavin Dufty Eugenio (Gino) Fragapane Paul Sheahan AM Origin Energy Consumer Action Law Centre St Vincent de Paul Society AGL Energy Chairman, Industry Director, Consumer Director, Consumer Director, Industry Director, appointed November 2014 appointed August 2014 appointed August 2014 appointed August 2013 appointed August 2015 In May 2019, I was pleased to be able to present to the At the same time, the Board recognises the importance General Meeting of the energy and water members of of keeping abreast of broader industry developments, EWOV Limited, a 2019-20 budget that reflects the balance especially around changing energy supply models and between the ‘business as usual’ aspect of EWOV (the technological innovations. To this end, over the year, we independent and efficient resolution of complaints) and drew on external expertise to update us on emerging the important consideration of what the future of EWOV products and services. will be, as the energy and water industries evolve away I thank my fellow Directors for their intelligent and from the traditional mode of delivery to which we are insightful contributions to Board meetings. In August 2018, accustomed. we farewelled EWOV Limited’s longest serving director, Peter Gartlan Claire Hamilton Ronda Held Peter Quinn In the face of ongoing change and challenge, 2018-19 Neil Brennan, Managing Director of Western Water, who Consumer Director, AusNet Services COTA Victoria Goulburn Valley Water was another year of strong performance by EWOV and was appointed in August 2002. Drawing on more than appointed July 2012 Industry Director, Consumer Director, Industry Director, outstanding leadership by Ombudsman, Cynthia Gebert. 35 years’ water industry experience, Neil’s input to the appointed December 2011 appointed July 2016 appointed August 2018 The Ombudsman kept the Board well-informed as EWOV Board over 16 years was significant and highly valued. delivered on the governance, systems and process Peter Quinn, Goulburn Valley Water’s Managing Director, Company Secretary: Christopher See, EWOV, appointed October 2008 changes needed to integrate embedded networks into has been appointed as the water industry’s director and is the scheme. This work, and reaching embedded network already making a very good contribution. entities with information about the obligation on them EWOV delivers an outstanding service in an increasingly GOVERNANCE STATEMENT to join EWOV, was time-consuming and it required varied and complex operating environment. In the coming considerable resources. The Board was pleased to see Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) Limited is a The ‘members’ of EWOV Limited are the ‘scheme year, as well as monitoring emerging issues, the Board will good progress made and access to EWOV extended to company limited by guarantee and not having share participants’ of the EWOV dispute resolution scheme. be keeping a firm eye on developments that may bring more customers as the year went on. capital. The objective of the company is to independently further jurisdictional, funding and resourcing implications. The EWOV Limited Board is responsible for the and efficiently resolve disputes between customers and The Ombudsman also kept the Board updated on business affairs and property of the company, including energy and water service providers in Victoria, with the EWOV’s role in implementing Victoria’s new Payment corporate governance, the setting of budgets, risk further aim of reducing the occurrence of disputes. To Difficulty Framework, its case handling experience of management, strategic planning and ensuring the fulfil this objective, EWOV Limited has set up a dispute the effectiveness of consumer protections for energy Ombudsman’s independence. The day-to-day resolution scheme called Energy and Water Ombudsman and water customers, and other emerging issues that operation of the EWOV dispute resolution