Our annual reports review our performance for each financial year.
Annual reports
Overview
Our annual reports give you an overview on work we completed, how we performed on key goals, and what we plan to do in the future.
View our latest annual report
Our 2021–22 annual report was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday 20 December 2022. The report demonstrates our commitment to promoting the long-term interests of Victorian consumers with respect to the price, quality and reliability of essential services.
Getting to fair
The report includes an update on our 'Getting to fair' strategy, which we launched in August 2021. The strategy aims to help vulnerable consumers who are experiencing barriers to accessing or engaging with the essential services we regulate or administer.
During 2021–22 we:
- ran forums for Victoria’s water businesses to outline our expectations around inclusive engagement with First Nations people and customers experiencing vulnerability for the 2023 Water Price Review
- engaged with energy businesses, government and community service organisations as part of our review into how energy retailers are implementing the Payment Difficulty Framework to support Victorians facing bill stress
- commissioned experts and lived-experience advisors to develop resources to help regulated businesses provide better practice responses to consumers affected by family violence.
Upholding critical consumer protections
The commission continued to uphold critical consumer protections in 2021–22 through effective compliance programs and enforcement actions.
We maintained our focus on preventing consumer harm by providing guidance to businesses about their obligations.
Where businesses failed to follow the rules, we stood up for consumers and took action, with an emphasis on our compliance and enforcement priorities.
Expanded investigative and enforcement powers
The commission was given expanded investigative and enforcement powers in the energy sector last financial year, while greater enforcement powers associated with legislated changes to the Victorian Energy Upgrades program will take effect in 2023.
These amendments strengthen consumer protections and boost the commission’s capabilities as a strong, fair and active regulator.
Other highlights include:
9 actions to bring the voice of consumers into our work
We progressed our 'Getting to fair' roadmap to help us provide more responsive, inclusive and accessible services to consumers experiencing vulnerability. The strategy is built around three key objectives: working with consumers, working with regulated businesses, and working on ourselves.
494 penalty notices
Five energy companies were issued penalty notices totalling $6.485 million for alleged breaches of the energy rules, affecting more than 77,000 Victorians. This included: wrongful disconnection, wrongly including prohibited exit fees in energy contracts, and conducting planned electricity outages without notifying customers (including life-support customers).
32 events
Almost 2,000 representatives from regulated businesses, consumer groups and community sector organisations participated in 32 online public and stakeholder events.
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All annual reports
Annual Report 2021-22
Annual Report 2020-21
Annual Report 2019-20
Annual report 2018-19
Supporting resources
17 October 2019
This resource lists all major publications (such as decisions, codes, determinations, consultation papers and electricity and gas licences) we produced in 2018-19.
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17 October 2019
This resource lists all major submissions we received on projects we oversaw in 2018-19.
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