On 20 August 2018, the Treasurer directed the ACCC to hold a public inquiry into the prices, profits and margins in the supply of electricity in the national electricity market.
The terms of reference for the original inquiry required a first report by 31 March 2019 and then every 6 months until the end of the inquiry on 31 August 2025.
On 28 August 2025, the Treasurer extended the inquiry until 30 June 2026. As part of the 2026–27 Federal Budget, the inquiry terms of reference were updated to extend the inquiry by a further 12 months. The ACCC is now required to give a second interim report by 31 December 2026, then complete the inquiry and provide a final report to the Treasurer by 30 June 2027.
Scope of inquiry
The inquiry will monitor and consider matters including, but not limited to:
- electricity prices in the national electricity market, including:
- prices offered to consumers and variations to those prices
- analysis of the impact of wholesale prices on retail prices
- wholesale market prices and relevant contributing factors, including:
- bidding behaviour of electricity generators for the sale of electricity into the wholesale market
- any other relevant factors
- margins and profits of electricity generators and retailers and relevant factors contributing to those margins and profits
- impact of policy changes in the national electricity market.
Where appropriate, the inquiry will make recommendations to government(s) to take any proportional and targeted action considered necessary to remedy any failure by market participants, or the market as a whole, to deliver competitive and efficient electricity prices for customers.
Timeline
Enquiries
Enquiries can be made by email to electricitymonitoring@accc.gov.au or you can contact the ACCC.
See Energy for information on our other work in energy.