About Us

Our Role

The Energy and Water Ombudsman

The Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia is an independent, impartial body that investigates and resolves complaints about electricity, gas and water services providers.

Mission and Principles

MISSION
To receive, investigate and facilitate the resolution of complaints about electricity, gas and water services providers who are Members of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme.

The Energy and Water Ombudsman is founded on the PRINCIPLES of:

Independence Access Effectiveness
Natural Justice Equity Community Awareness

 

The Role of the Energy and Water Ombudsman

The role of the Energy and Water Ombudsman is principally to do three things:

  • Investigate and resolve complaints about a Member of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme (Member);
  • From complaints, to identify systemic and emerging issues, as well as monitor the outcomes of complaints and report these issues and outcomes to the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) and in other relevant forums; and
  • Undertake outreach, education, liaison and other activities to ensure awareness and accessibility to the Energy and Water Ombudsman, particularly for under-represented Western Australians (in terms of complaints to the Energy and Water Ombudsman compared to representation in the general population).

Structure and Governance

Background of the Energy and Water Ombudsman

The Gas Industry Ombudsman Scheme was established on 31 May 2004 and the Electricity Ombudsman Scheme was established on 22 September 2005. At that time the two schemes were combined under the title of Energy Ombudsman. When the Water Services Ombudsman Scheme commenced on 1 January 2014, the existing Energy Ombudsman expanded to become the Energy and Water Ombudsman.

The Board

The Board of Energy and Water Ombudsman (Western Australia) Limited (the Board) is the governing body of the Energy and Water Ombudsman. It comprises seven directors: an independent chair, three customer representative directors, a gas industry representative director, an electricity industry representative director and a water industry representative director. Details of the membership, responsibilities and operations of the Board are documented in the Energy and Water Ombudsman Constitution November 2013 (Constitution) and the Charter of the Energy and Water Ombudsman November 2013 (Charter).

 

The Board in 2016-17

Chairperson:

Directors
Customer Representative:
Customer Representative:
Customer Representative:
Gas Industry Representative:
Electricity Industry Representative:
Water Industry Representative:

Alternate Directors

Gas Industry Representative:
Electricity Industry Representative:
Water Industry Representative:
Menno Henneveld


Wayne Mann
Judith McGowan
Irina Cattalini
Ray Myles
Colin Smith
Catherine Ferrari


Simon Byrne
Margaret Pyrchla
Karen Willis

 

Members of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme

The Members of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme as at 30 June 2017 are listed below.

Gas Industry Members – 30 June 2017

  • AGL Sales Pty Limited
  • Esperance Gas Distribution Company Pty Ltd
  • Alinta Sales Pty Ltd
  • Esperance Power Station Pty Ltd
  • ATCO Gas Australia
  • Wesfarmers Kleenheat Gas Pty Ltd
  • Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation (Synergy)

 

Electricity Industry Members – 30 June 2017

  • AER Retail Pty Ltd
  • Alinta Sales Pty Ltd
  • Amanda Energy Pty Ltd
  • A-Star Electricity Pty Ltd
  • Change Energy Pty Ltd
  • Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation (Synergy)
  • Electricity Networks Corporation (Western Power)
  • Perth Energy Pty Ltd
  • Regional Power Corporation (Horizon Power)
  • Rottnest Island Authority
  • Wesfarmers Kleenheat Gas Pty Ltd

Water Industry Members – 30 June 2017

  • Aquasol Pty Ltd
  • Bunbury Water Corporation (Aqwest)
  • Busselton Water Corporation
  • City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
  • Gascoyne Water Cooperative
  • Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd
  • Lancelin South Pty Ltd
  • Moama Lifestyle Villages Pty Ltd
  • Ord Irrigation Cooperative
  • Preston Valley Irrigation Cooperative
  • Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd
  • Rottnest Island Authority
  • Shire of Dumbleyung
  • Shire of Gnowangerup
  • Shire of Lake Grace
  • South West Irrigation Management Cooperative Limited (Harvey Water)
  • Water Corporation
  • Water West North Dandalup Pty Ltd

 

 

The Energy and Water Ombudsman

The Western Australian Ombudsman, Chris Field, performs the functions of the Energy and Water Ombudsman under a service agreement with the Board. The Energy and Water Ombudsman is not affiliated with any electricity, gas or water providers or consumer organisations and therefore acts impartially in the investigation and resolution of complaints.

The Energy and Water Ombudsman utilises the governance structures of the Western Australian Ombudsman, including an Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Operational Structure

The office of the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Office) is located within the office of the Western Australian Ombudsman. This provides the opportunity to achieve significant benefits through scale and scope economies that would not be available to a small stand-alone Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme. It also creates the opportunity for improved quality service delivery through the highly developed, specialised expertise existing in the office of the Western Australian Ombudsman.

At 30 June 2017, the Energy and Water Ombudsman was comprised of 9.0 full time equivalent employees reporting to the Western Australian Ombudsman in his role as Energy and Water Ombudsman. The structure of the Office is shown below.

  Energy and Water Ombudsman  
  Deputy Energy and Water Ombudsman  
Direct Operations Specialist Services Executive & Corporate Services
Assistant Ombudsman Complaint Resolution Director Research and Projects Communications and Publications Manager
Director Energy and Water Senior Investigator IT Manager
Systemic Issues and Investigating Officer

Senior Investigating Officers and Investigating Officers
  Reception Staff

 

Direct operational dispute resolution services are provided by a team of staff reporting through the Deputy Energy and Water Ombudsman to the Western Australian Ombudsman in his role as Energy and Water Ombudsman. Complex investigations, as well as the review of complaints, can be provided through senior investigating staff of the Western Australian Ombudsman’s office. Other services, including communications and information technology, are provided through the Executive and Corporate Services Division of the Western Australian Ombudsman.

Our Services

The Energy and Water Ombudsman receives, investigates and resolves complaints and disputes from residential and small business customers about their electricity, gas or water services provider. The following table describes matters that the Energy and Water Ombudsman can and cannot investigate.

Matters the Energy and Water Ombudsman CAN Investigate Matters the Energy and Water Ombudsman CANNOT Investigate
  • Provision or supply of services as required by a licence or agreement under legislation;
  • Billing, the administration of credit and payment services and the recovery of debts;
  • Disconnection and restriction of supply, and refundable advances;
  • Payments for breaches of prescribed electricity and water service standards;
  • Marketing of gas, electricity or water for sale;
  • A Member’s exercise of its powers in relation to land, neighbouring land or property;
  • Complaints and disputes relating to a Member or an agent referred by a Member or agent; and
  • Complaints by a person affected by the provision of a water service.
  • The setting of prices or tariffs or determining price structures;
  • Commercial activities outside the scope of the electricity, gas or water service licence;
  • The content of Government policies; and
  • Complaints under consideration by, or previously considered by, any court or tribunal or the Ombudsman considers should be dealt with by a court or tribunal.

 

The Energy and Water Ombudsman also liaises closely with Scheme Member companies in order to achieve effective dispute resolution, and with the community to provide effective access to our services.

Strategies to Achieve Our Objectives

During 2016-17, we focused on achieving the following key priorities:

  • Resolving complaints about electricity, gas and water services providers in the most timely, effective and cost efficient manner possible;
  • Ensuring Members are fully informed about costs of investigations and, if Members choose to do so, work collaboratively with them to reduce the number of investigations;
  • Ensuring appropriate consumer awareness of, and access to, the Energy and Water Ombudsman.

Our Complaint Resolution Process

Consistent with other industry ombudsman schemes, the Energy and Water Ombudsman has a focus on the resolution of complaints by the electricity, gas or water services provider and asks people making a complaint to try to resolve the matter with the provider first. The Energy and Water Ombudsman investigates complaints that remain unresolved after referral to a higher level contact with the electricity, gas or water provider.

When resolving complaints the Energy and Water Ombudsman pursues them in a fair, reasonable, just, informal and expeditious manner, having regard to the law and licences, industry codes, deemed contracts and good industry practice applicable to the relevant Member. A summary of the process for handling complaints is shown below.

Click to open a PDF version of How we handle complaints flow chart

Go to next section of Annual Report >>