Our role
The Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia is an independent, impartial body that investigates and resolves complaints about electricity, gas and water providers in Western Australia.
Our role is to:
- Investigate and resolve complaints about electricity, gas and water providers.
- Identify serious, systemic and emerging issues, and report these issues to the Economic Regulation Authority and other relevant forums.
- Undertake outreach, education, liaison and other activities to ensure awareness and accessibility to the Energy and Water Ombudsman, particularly for under-represented Western Australians.
The Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia Scheme is governed by a range of legislation, Constitution and Charter.
Our structure
The Office of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia is located within the office of the Western Australian Ombudsman.
This provides the opportunity to achieve significant benefits through scale and scope economies that would not be available to a very small stand-alone energy ombudsman scheme such as Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia.
It also creates the opportunity for improved service quality delivery through the highly developed, specialised expertise existing in the office of the Western Australian Ombudsman. Direct operational dispute resolution services are provided by a team of staff reporting to the Western Australian Ombudsman in his role as Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia.
Specialist investigations services, as well as the review of the handling of complaints, are provided for complex cases through senior investigation staff of the Western Australian Ombudsman’s office.
Corporate services, including IT and communications, are provided through the Executive and Corporate Services Division of the Western Australian Ombudsman.