Miles Government win in stopping energy retailers’ smart meter sting

The Miles Government will always take action to help Queenslanders every way we can, and we’ll always champion better protections for consumers.

Not only are we offering nation-leading cost of living relief - we’re ensuring Queenslanders can easily access the best energy tariff options for their household.

Under the proposed change, southeast Queensland households moved to time of use tariffs following the installation of a smart meter, will now be able to revert to a flat tariff.

It is designed to pair with the Australian Energy Market Commission’s three-year ban on tariff changes without consent - an initiative spearheaded by the Miles Government.

Queensland lobbied for the new rules through the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council after learning customers were experiencing bill shock by unknowingly being put on the different tariff.

In regional Queensland where electricity tariffs are regulated by the Queensland Competition Authority, Ergon Energy Retail is not able to change a customer’s tariff without the informed consent of the customer.

At present, southeast Queensland retailers can assign any customer on a smart meter to a demand or time-of-use energy tariff. They are only obliged to notify the customer of the change before the next bill is sent.

Time of use tariffs do have the potential to save Queenslanders significant costs on their energy bills, however achieving those savings is often contingent on consumers understanding their energy usage.

Doing the right thing by Queenslanders is what matters most.

We will always back Queenslanders and work hard to lower the cost of living, while the LNP offered no state-wide relief when electricity prices soared 43%.