Retail Competition in the electricity sector and energy price
Retail competition in the electricity sector and energy price continues to attract major attention and is an issue that touches all Australians. Two recent events in this ongoing debate are the meeting of retailers with the Prime Minister, and the release of the bi-partisan Review of the Victorian Electricity and Gas Markets lead by John Thwaites and an independent panel.
This Energy Futures Seminar, a part of the Policy Pitch series, will explore the Thwaites Review findings and the Grattan Report 'Price shock: Is the retail electricity market failing consumers?' released earlier this year. The expert panel, moderated by Dr Sara Bice and joined by John Thwaites, Tony Wood and an energy retailer representative will debate the Review's recommendations for a Basic Service Offer and related issues. Following presentations from the panel, the discussion will open to the floor for questions.
Please note this event will be held at the State Library of Victoria.
Moderator
Dr Sara Bice, Deputy Director Melbourne Energy Institute
Panel
Professor John Thwaites, Chairperson, ClimateWorks Australia
Tony Wood, Energy Program Director, Grattan Institute
Energy Retailer Representative, TBC
Dr Sara Bice is a social scientist and Director of Research Translation for the Melbourne School of Government and Deputy Director at the Melbourne Energy Insitute. In 2016, she was named one of four inaugural Westpac Bicentennial Foundation Research Fellows. She is President-Elect of the International Association for Impact Assessment and serves as a civil society representative on Australia's first multi-stakeholder group for the implementation of the Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative.
Prof John Thwaites is a Professorial Fellow, Monash University and Chair of ClimateWorks Australia and the Monash Sustainable Development Institute. He is a consultant at Maddocks Solicitors providing advice to the firm and its clients on climate change, water, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. He is one of six Co-Chairs of the Leadership Council of the global Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDNS). Launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in 2012, the Network provides expert advice and support on the development of the post-2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Tony Wood has been Director of the Energy Program at Grattan Institute since 2011 after 14 years working at Origin Energy in senior executive roles. From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia-Pacific region on effective deployment of large-scale, low-emission energy technologies. In 2008, he was seconded to provide an industry perspective to the first Garnaut climate change review.