The roles of functions of the main regulatory bodies that govern Australian electricity and gas markets is to come under scrutiny under a new Senate Committee to be led by former Liberal and now independent Senator David Van.
The committee was established last week in a Senate vote that was supported by the government, the Greens and the Teals, and opposed by the Coalition, One Nation and other independents.
Van actually had the support of the Coalition in an original proposal, put forward just over a week ago, but amendments agreed by Van in negotiations with Labor – which resulted in more neutral language and an extra independent member – led to a change of mind.
The committee is due to report on December 20, so it has little time to assess some fairly weighty subjects, including a review into the three overarching laws that government the energy markets – electricity, gas and retail.
The committee also seeks to examine the role and function of the Australia Energy Regulator, and the Australian Energy Market Operator, with a particular focus on the development of the Integrated System Plan, the multi-decade roadmap for the transition from coal to renewables.
Other institutions to come under focus from the committee include the Australian Energy Market Commission, the role and function of Energy Consumers Australia, and the role and function of state energy regulators.
The committee will include Van, along with Coalition senators Matt Canavan and Jonathon Duniam. Labor members include Karen Grogan and Varun Ghosh, while the Greens’ Larissa Walters and independent David Pocock are also on the committee.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Van said the focus would be to bring “transparency and accountability” to decisions made for the energy transition, which he indicated had no been adequate.
“Emissions from electricity generation make up nearly one-third of Australia’s overall emissions, therefore getting the transition to a zero emmissions energy system is of utmost importance,” Van said in a statement.
“However, given the current structures there has been insufficient public accountability of the decisions made in guiding this.”
The committee is sure to become a platform for those who hold a grievance against some of the key institutions, from all sides of the energy debate.
These included those who have criticised AEMO over its ISP and its focus on transmission needs, those who have taken issue with its technology cost assessment in conjunction with the CSIRO, and those who have criticised its lack of focus on consumer energy resources.
The committee is seeking submissions by October 18.
