Table 3 Text analysis Themes... | Emerald Publishing

Table 3

Text analysis

Themes	Illustrative quotes
Consumers	Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) (2022) “seeks to promote efficient investment in, and efficient operation and use of, electricity services for the long-term interests of consumers of electricity with respect to price, quality, safety and reliability and security of supply of electricity” Consumer “terms and conditions” should be “fair and reasonable” AEMC (2022). The word “just” is used once by the NSW Government (2020b) in a different context: “A green steel industry in just one NSW region has the potential to support an expected 10,000 jobs” (p. 40) Consumers must receive “details of the connection charges (or the basis on which they will be calculated)” (AEMC, 2022) “The NSW Government will reform the electricity infrastructure investment market by creating the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Safeguard. A Consumer Trustee will be appointed to protect the long-term interests of consumers. The Consumer Trustee will run competitive processes on behalf of consumers to award Long-term Energy Services Agreements. These Agreements will provide investors with the long-term certainty they need to lower the cost of electricity” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 22)
Consultation	Through renewable energy zones, the NSW Government seeks to create “community partnership from strategic planning and best practice engagement and benefit sharing” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 27) “We will engage with the financial trustee about the process for this consultation once a financial trustee has been appointed” (AER, 2022b, p. 4)
Disclosure	[Information relating to LESAs] “must remain confidential as its disclosure may compromise competitive tender processes in relation to network infrastructure projects and long-term energy service agreements, respectively. We also note that disclosure of the Data Point outside the “exemptions data administration unit” may constitute a breach of the information disclosure provisions in section 75, EII Act” (AER, 2022b, p. 38)
Hardship customers	The AEMC (2022) requires retailers to have a hardship program (that is, the availability of payment plans for people who have trouble paying their energy bills)
Impact	“We can locate these projects in places that help our rural and regional communities” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 4) “Even with transmission, generators still need revenue certainty. This creates a “chicken and egg” problem that is stifling investment in our energy sector. If left to existing market signals, investment could come too late to prevent price spikes and reliability issues. It is also likely to occur ad-hoc, negatively impacting local communities. Coordination will ensure that investment is orderly, timely, optimised and efficient. It also allows for careful and deliberate consideration of community priorities and concerns” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 27) The objects of this Act are “(a) to improve the affordability, reliability, security and sustainability of electricity supply, and; (b) to co-ordinate investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure, (c) to encourage investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure by reducing risk for investors, (d) to foster local community support for investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure, to support economic development and manufacturing; (f) to create employment, including employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, (g) to invest in education and training, (h) to promote local industry, manufacturing and jobs, (i) to promote export opportunities for generation, storage and network technology” (NSW Government, 2020a)
Low-income	“The Roadmap complements other NSW Government initiatives that are already helping NSW households and businesses to reduce their energy use and save money on energy bills, including the Energy Security Safeguard, Solar for Low-Income Households and Empowering Homes programs” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 12)
Report	All discussion around “Report” relates to requiring retailers to report against their licence requirements. For example, the AER (2022b, p. 13) states, “The relevant reporting year for the purposes of this volumetric data will be the previous financial year, i.e. as of January 2023, the relevant year will be FY 21–22” There is no requirement for the AEMC (2022) or any other government body to report on the distributional impacts of government energy and environmental policies

Themes	Illustrative quotes
Consumers	Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) (2022) “seeks to promote efficient investment in, and efficient operation and use of, electricity services for the long-term interests of consumers of electricity with respect to price, quality, safety and reliability and security of supply of electricity”Consumer “terms and conditions” should be “fair and reasonable” AEMC (2022). The word “just” is used once by the NSW Government (2020b) in a different context: “A green steel industry in just one NSW region has the potential to support an expected 10,000 jobs” (p. 40)Consumers must receive “details of the connection charges (or the basis on which they will be calculated)” (AEMC, 2022)“The NSW Government will reform the electricity infrastructure investment market by creating the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Safeguard. A Consumer Trustee will be appointed to protect the long-term interests of consumers. The Consumer Trustee will run competitive processes on behalf of consumers to award Long-term Energy Services Agreements. These Agreements will provide investors with the long-term certainty they need to lower the cost of electricity” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 22)
Consultation	Through renewable energy zones, the NSW Government seeks to create “community partnership from strategic planning and best practice engagement and benefit sharing” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 27)“We will engage with the financial trustee about the process for this consultation once a financial trustee has been appointed” (AER, 2022b, p. 4)
Disclosure	[Information relating to LESAs] “must remain confidential as its disclosure may compromise competitive tender processes in relation to network infrastructure projects and long-term energy service agreements, respectively. We also note that disclosure of the Data Point outside the “exemptions data administration unit” may constitute a breach of the information disclosure provisions in section 75, EII Act” (AER, 2022b, p. 38)
Hardship customers	The AEMC (2022) requires retailers to have a hardship program (that is, the availability of payment plans for people who have trouble paying their energy bills)
Impact	“We can locate these projects in places that help our rural and regional communities” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 4)“Even with transmission, generators still need revenue certainty. This creates a “chicken and egg” problem that is stifling investment in our energy sector. If left to existing market signals, investment could come too late to prevent price spikes and reliability issues. It is also likely to occur ad-hoc, negatively impacting local communities. Coordination will ensure that investment is orderly, timely, optimised and efficient. It also allows for careful and deliberate consideration of community priorities and concerns” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 27)The objects of this Act are “(a) to improve the affordability, reliability, security and sustainability of electricity supply, and; (b) to co-ordinate investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure, (c) to encourage investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure by reducing risk for investors, (d) to foster local community support for investment in new generation, storage, network and related infrastructure, to support economic development and manufacturing; (f) to create employment, including employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, (g) to invest in education and training, (h) to promote local industry, manufacturing and jobs, (i) to promote export opportunities for generation, storage and network technology” (NSW Government, 2020a)
Low-income	“The Roadmap complements other NSW Government initiatives that are already helping NSW households and businesses to reduce their energy use and save money on energy bills, including the Energy Security Safeguard, Solar for Low-Income Households and Empowering Homes programs” (NSW Government, 2020c, p. 12)
Report	All discussion around “Report” relates to requiring retailers to report against their licence requirements. For example, the AER (2022b, p. 13) states, “The relevant reporting year for the purposes of this volumetric data will be the previous financial year, i.e. as of January 2023, the relevant year will be FY 21–22”There is no requirement for the AEMC (2022) or any other government body to report on the distributional impacts of government energy and environmental policies

Note(s): Sources for AEMC (2022) quotes include https://www.aemc.gov.au/regulation/neo#NERO and https://energy-rules.aemc.gov.au/ner/431 (Chapter 5A: Electricity connection for retail customers)