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June was a milestone month for FCVic, with the launch of Rank the Energy Retailer 2025 and the near-completion of our landmark Workforce Development Project. As sector-wide reform discussions gather pace — including the upcoming CAV review of the Financial Counselling Program — FCVic CEO Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope reflects on the work underway to shape a sustainable future for financial counselling, the challenges of balancing ambition with capacity, and what lies ahead as we prepare for the 2025 FCVic Conference: Sparking Change.
- Author: FCVic
- Published:
- Topics: Member news, Our Work, Utilities
Rank the Energy Retailer 2025 was launched on Monday, 16 June, bringing together over 160 attendees across Australia to discuss how energy retailers are performing for people in financial hardship. Based on insights from more than 400 financial counsellors, the report highlights systemic issues and best practice examples across the sector. With strong media coverage and encouraging engagement from industry, the project marks an important step forward — and we hope it helps spark lasting improvements.
- Author: Amanda Chan
- Published:
- Topics: Member news
After nearly five years of service, the Partners in Wellbeing Small Business Financial Counselling (PIW) program concludes on 30 June 2025, leaving a lasting legacy of support, innovation, and advocacy. Launched during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, PIW provided specialist, client-centred financial counselling to almost 2,500 small business owners across Victoria—many of whom faced complex challenges including disaster recovery, family violence, and unregulated debt. From its modest beginnings, the program became a national leader in small business support, influencing systemic change, shaping policy and training, and working alongside regulators and government to improve outcomes for small businesses. While the program is ending, its impact will be felt well into the future through the resources, reforms, and sector capacity it helped create.
FCVic’s first quarter of 2025 has been marked by high-impact work across all areas — from the successful Housing Summit and major project milestones, to key policy submissions and growing sector influence. As planning ramps up for the 2025 FCVic Conference and our next Strategic Plan, FCVic’s CEO, Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope, reflects on a powerful start to the year and the collective effort driving progress.