ENERGY CONSUMER SENTIMENT SURVEY

ENERGY CONSUMER SENTIMENT SURVEY

Household Topline ResultsJune 2021

Key findingsAustralians’ perceptions of the electricity and gas system have clearlyimproved over the last year. Most measures in this survey have shown steadyimprovement since the December 2017 survey, and the positive shifts arenoticeable across most states and territories.

70% of Australian household consumers, for example, now rate the value formoney of electricity positively, up 13% over the last year and up 36% sinceDecember 2017. The increase in the percentage giving positive ratings for gasis smaller but still clear (now 72%, up 4% over the last year and 21% sinceDecember 2017).

Improvements in confidence in future value for money are smaller. 43% ofhousehold consumers now say they are confident that the market will delivervalue for money in the future, up 2%.

46% of household consumers now say that they are confident that theelectricity and gas market is working in their long-term interests, up 10% overthe last year. The proportion of household consumers expressing confidencethat the market is working in their long-term interests has more thandoubled since December 2017, when just 21% said that they were confidentin this.

Despite this increased confidence in the future, many household consumersare still concerned about the future affordability of electricity. This questionis new to the Energy Consumer Sentiment Survey, and shows that 62% ofhousehold consumers are concerned that electricity and gas will become

unaffordable for them over the next 10-20 years. Similarly, 73% of householdconsumers are concerned that electricity and gas will become unaffordablefor others in their community over that time period.

Australian energy consumers also express considerable doubts about thefuture in other ways:

• 69% of household consumers say they are concerned that the energysystem in Australia will fail to keep up with the changing way in whichwe use energy.

• 72% of household consumers are concerned that we won’t have plansin place to replace or update aging coal-fired power plants when theyreach the end of their operational lives.

• 58% of household consumers are worried that there will be frequentelectricity outages in 10-20 years’ time.

Questions on present reliability of electricity have been revised for the latestsurvey to provide more detail.

33% of household consumers report that they have had an outage in the lastsix months. Of this group 54% were satisfied with the number of times theyhad faults and 63% were happy with the time taken to restore supply. Ratingswere a little less positive for communication about the fault, with 48%reporting being satisfied and 26% dissatisfied.

Satisfaction

• Household overall satisfaction with gas and electricity services continues to increase from the December 2017 low (now 83% for electricity and 81% for gas, up from 63%).

• Just one state or territory did not record year-on-year increases in electricity satisfaction – ACT (79% to 74%). Gas satisfaction also decreased in ACT (79% to 76%).

• Satisfaction is highest for ease of accessing electricity account (76%) and having clear billing information (74%)

• 85% of households with gas give a positive rating for the reliability of service.

Satisfaction with retailer measures: Provision of electricity and gas services

4Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? The provision of your electricity service, Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? The provision of your gas services, Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263)

NOTE: Question changed from Jun'21 onwards

Jun'16 Dec'16 Jun'17 Dec'17 Jun'18 Dec'18 Jun'19 Dec'19 Jun'20 Dec'20 Jun'21

Overall Satisfaction 67 64 69 63 69 70 69 76 77 78

Electricity Satisfaction 78 83

Gas Satisfaction 78 81

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Satisfaction with retailer measures:Customer service

5


Electricity 51 51 58 54 61 62 62 65 69 68 71

Gas 65 62 67 57 66 67 68 73 75 72 73

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The overall quality of customer service provided by your electricity company in the past 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your electricity retailer in the past 6 months? Overall customer service, Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The overall quality of customer service provided by your gas company in the past 6 months, Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (min. n=1,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your gas retailer in the past 6 months? Overall customer service, Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263)

NOTE: Question changed from Jun'21 onwards

Overall satisfaction with electricity services

7

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Business

Household

Overall Satisfaction - Business & Household

Overall Satisfaction - Victoria & SA

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

NSWQLDSE QLD

Overall Satisfaction - NSW, QLD & SE QLD

Overall Satisfaction - WA, TAS & ACT

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Vic

SA

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

WATASACT

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? The provision of your electricity service, Base size: All households (n= 2,274)

Overall satisfaction with gas services

8

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Business

Household

Overall Satisfaction - Business & Household

Overall Satisfaction - Victoria & SA

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

NSWQLDSE QLD

Overall Satisfaction - NSW, QLD & SE QLD

Overall Satisfaction - WA, TAS & ACT

40

50

60

70

80

90


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

Vic

SA

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)

WATASACT

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? The provision of your gas services, Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263)

Satisfaction with retailer measures: Electricity

9

83

63

71 74 76

59 5663

15

24

24 20 2032

28

30

214

5 6 4 9 16 7

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

The provision of yourelectricity services

The level ofcompetition (e.g.

range of choices ornumber of potential

suppliers) in theelectricity market in

your area

Overall customerservice

Billing and usageinformation is clear

and simple tounderstand

Ease of accessingyour accountinformation

Communication(other than bills)

received from yourelectricity retailer

Cost of yourelectricity supply

Assistance tomanage yourelectricity bill

Positive Neutral Negative

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun’21) How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? Base size: All households (n=2,274)

Satisfaction with retailer measures: Gas

10Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (min. n=1,000)Q (Jun’21) How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n=1,263)

81

70 73 76 76

63 6267

85

1623 23 20 21

2926

28 132 7 4 4 3 8 12 5 2

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

The provision ofyour gas services

The level ofcompetition (e.g.

range of choices ornumber of

potential suppliers)in the gas market

in your area

Overall customerservice

Billing and usageinformation is clear

and simple tounderstand

Ease of accessingyour accountinformation

Communication(other than bills)

received from yourgas retailer

Cost of your gassupply

Assistance tomanage your gas

bill

The reliability ofyour gas service


Overall satisfaction with electricity services (Business/Household)

11

67 6469

6369 70 69

76 77 7883

28 30 26 32 27 27 27 20 20 20 155 5 5 5 4 3 4 4 3 2 2

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Overall Satisfaction - Household

6165

68

57 5663

59

71 71 7075

34 32 26 38 40 35 37 24 25 26 20

5 4 6 5 5 3 4 5 4 4 4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Overall Satisfaction - Business

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? The provision of your electricity service, Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All businesses (min. n=280)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? The provision of your electricity service, Base size: All businesses (n=551)

Overall satisfaction with gas services (Business/Household)

12

67 6469

6369 70 69

76 77 7881

28 30 26 32 27 27 27 20 20 20 165 5 5 5 4 3 4 4 3 2 2

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Overall Satisfaction - Household

6165

68

57 5663

59

71 71 7075

34 32 26 38 40 35 37 24 25 26 21

5 4 6 5 5 3 4 5 4 4 4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Overall Satisfaction - Business

Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? The provision of your gas services, Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263)Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the following? The provision of your electricity and gas services overall over the last 6 months, Base size: All businesses (min. n=280)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? The provision of your gas services, Base size: All businesses with a mains gas supply (n=326)

62 6369 70

59

73

39

69

29

48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Business Household NSW Vic Qld SEQ WA SA Tas ACT

Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)


Satisfaction with level of competition: Electricity

13Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the level of competition in the energy market in your area? Base size: All households (min. n=2,000), All businesses (min. n=200)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your electricity service over the past 6 months? The level of competition (e.g. range of choices or number of potential suppliers) in the electricity market in your areaBase size: All households (n= 2,274), All businesses (n=551)

6770 70 69

63 61

78

70

59

49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)


Satisfaction with level of competition: Gas

14Q (Jun’16-Dec’20): How satisfied are you with the level of competition in the energy market in your area? Base size: All households (min. n=2,000), All businesses (min. n=200)Q (Jun'21): How satisfied are you with the following elements of your gas service over the past 6 months? The level of competition (e.g. range of choices or number of potential suppliers) in the gas market in your areaBase size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263), All businesses with a mains gas supply (n=326)

Value for money &Outages

15

• Electricity value for money has increased to 70% (from 57%) and is now comparable to other utility services. Value for money of gas services is at 72% (68% last year).

• 33% of households have experienced an electricity outage in the last 6 months.

• For households who experienced an electrical outage, satisfaction with the duration is at 63%, and 48% are satisfied with the communication from the electricity company during the outage.

70(+13)

72(+4)

73(+4)

78(+1) 70

(+2)

74(-1)

75(0)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Electricity Gas Internet Mobile phone Insurance Banking Water

Val

ue

for

mo

ney

(%

)Positive Neutral Negative

Value for money of all services (Household)

16

Q: How would you rate the overall value for money of the products and services provided by your electricity company in the past 6 months? Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Q: How would you rate the overall value for money of the products and services provided by your gas retailer in the past 6 months?Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (n= 1,263)Q: How would you rate the overall value for money by your service provider in the following areas, in the past 6 months?Base size: All households (n= 2,274)

Value for money

17


Electricity 46 42 48 34 44 47 47 53 57 57 70

Gas 56 56 63 51 60 61 60 66 68 68 72

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Val

ue

for

mo

ney

(%

)

Q: How would you rate the overall value for money of the products and services provided by your electricity company in the past 6 months? Base size: All households (min. n=2,000)Q: How would you rate the overall value for money of the products and services provided by your gas retailer in the past 6 months? Base size: All households with a mains gas supply (min. n=1,000)

Experienced electricity outages in last 6 months

18

33

67

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

No

Yes

Q: Have you experienced any outages in the last 6 months?Base size: All households (n= 2,274)

Satisfaction with electricity outages

19

54

63

48

2826

26

17 11 26

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

The number of times you’ve had an outage or other faults with your

electricity supply

The time it took to restore theelectricity supply

The communication from theelectricity supplier during theoutage to keep you informed

Negative

Neutral

Positive

Q: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of response from your electricity supplier when you have experienced an outage in the past 6 months? Base size: All households who have experienced an outage in the last 6 months (n=772)NOTE: Jun’16-Dec’20 results not shown due to questionnaire change in Jun'21 meaning time series discontinued.

Household Confidence

20

• Household confidence in future reliability declined for the first time since 2017 – now at 53%.

• 67% of households say they are confident in their ability to make choices about energy products and services, such as which plan or supplier to choose, but just 46% are confident that the market (energy industry and energy regulators) is working in their long-term interests.

• One-third of households are familiar with the Energy Ombudsman.

56(+3)

53(-1)

56(+2) 52

(+1)51(-4)

54(-4)

55(-4) 51

(-3)

54(-3)

53(-4)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Co

nfi

den

ce (

%)


Confidence in future reliability

21Q: Thinking about the overall market outcomes, how confident are you that the energy market will provide better outcomes for you in 5 years, in terms of…? Provide a more reliable supplyBase size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

58(+5) 52

(-1)

54(+1)

52(+1)

51(-3)

55(-3)

52(-4)

52(-2)

50(+4)

51(+3)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)


Confidence in advances in technology

22Q: Thinking about the overall market outcomes, how confident are you that the energy market will provide better outcomes for you in 5 years, in terms of…? Technological advances to manage your energy supply and costsBase size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

Confidence in advances in technology

23

48 46 45

3440

47 44

51 53 52 52

42 4140

4442

42 42 36 34 37 36

10 12 15 22 18 12 13 13 13 11 12

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Q: Thinking about the overall market outcomes, how confident are you that the energy market will provide better outcomes for you in 5 years, in terms of…? Technological advances to manage your energy supply and costsBase size: All households (min. n= 2,000)

64(+1)

67(+3)

69(+2)

68(+5) 65

(0)

71(0)

62(0)

70(+4)

56(-2) 53

(-3)

58(+1)

61(+6)

64(+7) 61

(+8)

62(+4)

66(+6)

56(+4)

60(+7) 57

(+9)

47(0)

57(+1)

60(+11)

59(+8)

62(+12)

60(+10)

66(+13)

56(+13)

64(+16)

58(+10)

48(+6)

52(+7)

46(+10)

49(+11)

43(+9)

46(+7)

48(+8) 45

(+11)

48(+12)

41(+13) 38

(+12)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Co

nfi

den

ce (

%)

Ability Information Tools In the market

Confidence in ability, information and tools

24

Q: How confident do you feel in the following…? Your ability to make choices about energy products and services, such as which plan or supplier to choose, That there is enough easily understood information available to you to make decisions about energy products and services, by which we mean information available on the internet, through energy comparison websites or elsewhereThat you have the tools and assistance you need to manage your energy use and costs, by which we mean electricity meters, smart phone devices, apps or other toolsBase size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

Confidence in ability to make choices

25

63 6469

5558

63 62

6964

7067

32 30 27

34 3130 30 23 26

23 25

5 5 411 11 7 8 8 10 7 8

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Q: How confident do you feel in the following…? Your ability to make choices about energy products and services, such as which plan or supplier to chooseBase size: All households (min. n= 2,000)

Confidence in availability of enough easily understood information

26

51 50

57

4650

54 53

6055

60 61

39 40 34

38 3636 36 28 32 29 29

10 10 9 16 14 10 11 12 13 11 10

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Q: How confident do you feel in the following…? That there is enough easily understood information available to you to make decisions about energy products and services, by which we mean information available on the internet, through energy comparison websites or elsewhere Base size: All households (min. n= 2,000)

Confidence in availability of tools

27

48 4853

4246

50 4953

4955

60

41 41 3843 40

40 41 3535

33 30

11 11 9 15 14 10 10 12 16 12 11

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Q: How confident do you feel in the following…? That you have the tools and assistance you need to manage your energy use and costs, by which we mean electricity meters, smart phone devices, apps or other toolsBase size: All households (min. n= 2,000)

52(+7) 46

(+10)

49(+11) 43

(+9)

46(+7)

48(+8)

45(+11)

48(+12)

41(+13)

38(+12)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Co

nfi

den

ce (

%)


Confidence in the market

28Q: How confident are you that the overall market is working in your long-term interests? By ‘the market’ we mean, the energy industry and energy regulators.Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

Confidence in the market

29

32 3033

2125

31 31 3336 38

46

42 43 41

3837

38 39 37 35 35

35

26 28 26 41 38 30 30 30 29 27 20

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Q: How confident are you that the overall market is working in your long-term interests? By ‘the market’ we mean, the energy industry and energy regulators.Base size: All households (min. n= 2,000)

60(+1)

66(+4)

67(+3)

64(+2)

67(+5)

69(+4) 64

(+7)

69(+2)

66(+8)

57(+5)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100


Sati

sfac

tio

n (

%)


Confidence in ability to have problems resolved

30Q: How confident do you feel in the following…? Your ability to get a problem with your energy services resolved through your energy company or a third partyBase size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

3030

21

3326

29

212726

22

3737

36

41

3434

383536

33

31324024373338353444

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

ACTTASSAWASE QLDQLDVICNSWHouseholdBusiness

Don't know Not at all familiar Not very familiar Familiar/Very familiar

Familiarity with Ombudsman services

31Q: How familiar are you with an organisation called the Energy Ombudsman, which assists consumers with complaints about energy?Base size: All households (n= 2,274)Base size: All businesses (n=551)

Documents

ENERGY CONSUMER SENTIMENT SURVEY