Author Archives: Emma O'Neill
Energy costs are a big issue for all Victorians, especially those with health conditions or disability.
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Response to the Essential Services Commission draft advice on the Victorian Default Offer methodology Joint submission by the Victorian Council
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The new Victorian energy fact sheet will replace existing price and product information statements and offer summaries.
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A deliberately confusing and complex electricity market is allowing retailers to charge Victorians more.
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Response to the Essential Services Commission draft principles and actions for family violence assistance
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VCOSS is concerned the VEU program is under-used by people on low incomes, renters and people with health and disability
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New, clean energy is non-negotiable if we’re going to prevent the worst of climate change and reduce power bills over
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This report estimates 180,000 Victorian households (7.3%) experience persistent payment difficulty.
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Not all asylum seekers are living in detention centres. Some are living in the Victorian community, in extremely difficult circumstances.
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Home solar could get a huge kick-along in Victoria over the next few years. Under the ‘Solar Homes’ program, Labor
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With household debt at a record high, even slight interest rate rises can push family budgets to breaking point. Wages
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VCOSS response to registration guideline for non-licensed electricity providers. In Victoria, most electricity is provided by businesses licensed by the
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For many Victorians, rental homes will be homes for life – places where we grow up, raise a family, work,
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Older Australians deserve a residential aged care system where they are treated with dignity and respect, where their care needs
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VCOSS is keen to ensure minimum feed-in tariffs do not increase energy bills for non-solar, grid-dependent households, and negate the
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VCOSS supports amendments that would ensure Victorian energy customers are notified about changes to, or the expiry of, a fixed
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While financial literacy and capability programs are only one factor in achieving financial wellbeing, they help reduce vulnerability to financial
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VCOSS is very pleased the ACCC is undertaking this inquiry and exercising its powers to compel information from retailers. We
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On 10 October 2017 the Essential Services Commission released a draft guidance note outlining its approach to promoting and enforcing compliance with
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VCOSS strongly supports increasing consumer choice and empowering older people to have greater control over the services they access. But
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We live in tough energy times. Power prices keep going up, well beyond inflation, wages, and income support payments. Staying
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Shopping around can reduce your power bill, but Victorians shouldn’t be left to navigate this jungle alone. The government should
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Victorians are being pushed to the edge by electricity price rises. Our bills are now the second highest in Australia
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It is increasingly tough to stay connected to power and providing support for people in payment difficulty is more important
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Subsidised energy efficiency upgrades, support for choosing energy retailers and investment in financial counselling are good measures for low-income households
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VCOSS views the proposed redesign as an opportunity to strengthen, rather than diminish, financial wellbeing and capability services, particularly at
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