Status: Pending

Utility Debt Spiral Project

Between 2003-2005, this project worked to explore and address the relationship between the impact of utility bills and broader social issues. The process has proven that the Model can work by coordinating over twenty: community groups, NGO’s, utility companies, government departments and statutory bodies in order to explore and develop innovative solutions to this intractable issue. Corporate participants include Origin Energy, Powercor and Citipower, TXU, City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water.
Programme Cities are responsible for the identification, management, conclusion and communication of their project. It must be noted that the Cities Programme is strongly based on local capacity building and does not seek to replicate or simply overlay outcomes from one city to another. Managing the project implementation process is a key part of capacity building.

Project Status

Pending

Project Contact

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Project Partners

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Project Summary

To explore and address the relationship between the impact of utility bills and broader social issues

Themes

, Community Sustainability
Global Compact Principle

Human Rights (What is this?)
Issues Project is Seeking to Address
  1. Poverty, hardship and utilities-related financial stress in Melbourne;
  2. Federal and State regulatory frameworks around the provision of utilities; and
  3. Addressing the specific question of: ‘Customers experiencing financial hardship, either temporary or chronic: How should energy and water providers, governments and regulators best respond?’
Planned Actions
  1. The facilitation of experts from key water, gas and electricity companies cooperate, some for the first time, with experts from social service agencies, regulatory bodies and government agencies; and
  2. Make recommendations to both the Federal and State government on a ‘best practice model’
Desired Outcomes
  1. Reduce utility hardship for the financially disadvantaged
  2. To produce a ‘best practice’ model
  3. Encourage cross-sector partnership
  4. Encourage businesses to engage the Global Compact
Related Documents
Timeline

2007 Completed

Project News and Updates