Seeking feedback on our ‘Getting to Fair: Advancing Equity’ strategy to improve access to essential services

The Essential Services Commission is seeking feedback on a draft strategy focussed on improving how Victorians experience and access essential services, particularly where existing systems and practices create barriers for consumers.

Our Getting to Fair: Advancing Equity draft strategy builds on the work of the original Getting to Fair 2021-2024 strategy which focussed on removing barriers to accessing essential services for consumers experiencing vulnerability. Advancing Equity continues this focus, while recognising that some challenges cannot be addressed one customer at a time, and instead require changes to the way services, markets and regulatory settings operate.

Essential services are undergoing significant transitions: decarbonisation, digitalisation, technological innovations and new service delivery models. These changes can bring benefits, but they can also increase complexity and risk for consumers, particularly those facing disadvantage.

The goal of Advancing Equity is to promote just outcomes and equitable access to essential services for all Victorians. It does this by seeking to ensure that the costs, benefits and risks of the essential services we regulate are shared fairly across diverse consumers and groups.

The strategy will guide the development of two flagship frameworks and a program of priority actions. Our flagship frameworks will focus on First Nations Self-Determination and Energy Justice. Our priority actions will align with our three priority themes:

• Business conduct – how regulated businesses treat consumers in practice
• System-level responses – looking beyond individual cases to address underlying settings that drive outcomes
• Regulatory inclusion – so regulatory approaches reflect the needs and experiences of diverse consumers.

Those interested in providing feedback on the draft strategy can do so by visiting engage.vic.gov.au by 5pm, Wednesday 18 February 2026.