Electricity privatisation slammed
Date: Sunday, August 17 @ 23:50:28 CDT
Topic: Australian politics
Power Failure: Why Victorian Households Are Not Plugging into Electricity Competition by Andrea Sharam
In January 2002 the competitive electricity market was opened to Victorian and New South Wales domestic electricity customers. Victoria households were surveyed in the second half of 2002 about their understanding of the new market and their experience of full retail competition.
The survey produced some unanticipated findings. Foremost was the extensive customer disinterest and distrust in "the electricity market", which has found its expression in high levels of inertia. While policy makers had reason to investigate customer attitudes before implementing
full competition, they failed to do so, despite the need for active consumer participation to make the market work. The Victorian government faces the spectre of a costly policy failure that has its roots in elite policy making that overlooks the importance of popular support if competition policy is to succeed.
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