Overview
This policy outlines our approach to compliance and enforcement in the energy, water, transport and local government sectors, and the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.
It explains our:
- role and objectives
- compliance and enforcement roles, powers and pathways
- reporting on compliance and enforcement.
The original policy took effect on 22 July 2016. It applies to our full suite of enforcement powers as updated by the following resources:
| Legislative resource | How this resource affected our regulatory role |
|---|---|
| Essential Services Commission (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill 2021 | Amendments that took effect during December 2021 and March 2022 gave us a broader range of enforcement options in the energy sector, including penalty notices, civil litigation or criminal prosecution. |
| Energy Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Act 2015 (opens in a new window) | On 1 January 2016, the Act gave us:
|
| Essential Services Commission (Energy Industry Penalty Regime) Regulations 2016(opens in a new window) | The regulations commenced on 1 June 2016 and set out when we can issue penalty notices to energy businesses. |
Read more about our compliance and enforcement priorities.
Resources
Current version of the policy
Previous versions of the policy
Current guidelines
Entry and Search of Premises guidelines
14 March 2024
Entry and Search of Premises with Warrant Guideline
(opens in a new window)
Previous reviews of our Compliance and Enforcement Policy
Energy compliance and enforcement policy review 2019
We reviewed the energy compliance and enforcement policy to streamline how we handle disputes.
Energy Compliance and Enforcement Policy consultation 2015
We developed this policy to provide information to regulated energy businesses and other stakeholders on our proposed approach to compliance and enforcement in the Victorian energy market.
Updated