FCVic’s submission to the Victorian Government’s Embedded Networks Review addresses reforms to pricing and consumer protections for customers in embedded electricity and gas networks. Grounded in the direct experience of Victorian financial counsellors, the submission highlights the systemic barriers faced by embedded network customers, including higher energy costs, reduced consumer protections, and an inability to access the competitive retail energy market.

The submission makes six recommendations, including benchmarking embedded network prices to the lowest available market offer, extending full Energy Retail Code of Practice (ERCOP) protections to all embedded network operators, mandating clearer disclosure for prospective residents, banning new residential embedded networks, developing a transition strategy for existing networks, and reviewing the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) and Non-Mains Utility Relief Grant Scheme (NURGS). The submission is endorsed by Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic).