The Government has established an Interagency Working Group to examine and report to Government on ways in which government agencies, government-owned utilities and welfare agencies can improve the delivery and coordination of essential utilities services to the community’s most disadvantaged individuals and families.

The working group consists of senior representatives of the:

• Office of Energy
• Department of Child Protection
• Department of Housing and Works
• Department of the Premier and Cabinet
• Department of Treasury and Finance
• Synergy
• Horizon Power
• Water Corporation
• Department of Water.

Public Consultation

The Working Group’s Utilities Essential Services Hardship Public Issues Discussion Paper invited submissions from interested parties across a range of hardship issues.

A total of seven submissions were received:

• Australian Capital Territory Essential Services Consumer Council
• Council on the Ageing WA
• Department for Communities
• Dr Bill Parker, Editor ‘Solar Progress’
• Department of Water
• Synergy
• Western Australian Council of Social Service

Download a Summary of the Issues Paper

(The Issues Paper can be made available in alternative formats on request to meet the needs of people with disability.)

It is expected the Working Group will release its final report in the last quarter of 2009. The findings of the discussion paper and final report, along with input from public submissions, will inform the Government’s hardship policy.