Consumer groups play a vital role in helping the Authority assess issues and the potential impacts of its decisions.

The Authority established the Economic Regulation Authority Consumer Consultative Committee (ERACCC) in March 2005.

The ERACCC was established by the Authority to:

• provide comment to the Authority on issues affecting consumers that fall within the scope of the Authority’s administration of the Economic Regulation Act 2003 (the Act); and
• provide tangible outcomes for consumers through work that members undertake in partnership with other members and the Authority.

The Authority wants to ensure its communication and compliance strategies meet the needs of consumers. Participation in the group will allow members to inform the Authority about issues that impact on both the groups they represent and consumers more generally. In addition, the Authority is able to utilise the ERACCC as a mechanism of informing customers regarding the work of the Authority.

Some members of the ERA’s Consumer Consultative Committee (seated from left) Mr Chris Field (State Ombudsman/Energy Ombudsman), Mr Wayne Mann (Energy Ombudsman's Office), Ms Linda Goncalves (WACOSS Consumer Utilities Project) and Mr Ian Duncan (WA Local Government Association) and (standing from left) Ms Genette Keating (Consumers’ Association WA), Mr Paul Hynch (Chamber of Minerals and Energy), Mr Peter Bligh (WA Farmers Federation) and Ms Sue Ash (WACOSS).

Members were appointed for an initial period of two years and re-appointed for a further two years in March 2007.

The Authority announced new appointments on 25 June 2008. Further information can be found in the following notice.

Current members of the ERACCC include:

Ms Sue Ash	WA Council of Social Service
Mr Peter Bligh	WA Farmers Federation
Mr Sheldon Mumby	Pastoralists & Graziers Association of WA (Inc)
Ms Irina Cattalini	WA Council of Social Service - Consumer Utilities Project
Mr Andrew Canion	Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA
Mr Paul Hynch	Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA (Inc)
Mrs Genette Keating	Consumers Association of Western Australia
Mr Ian Duncan	WA Local Government Association
Ms Alison Pidgeon	Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) Inc
Mr Damian Stone	Property Council of Australia (WA)

The role of a member is outlined in the Members’ Terms of Appointment document.

Current Observers participating in the ERACCC include:

Mr Chris Field	State Ombudsman’s Office
Mr Gary Newcombe	Department of Consumer and Employment Protection

The role of an observer is outlined in the Observers' Terms of Appointment document.

The ERACCC is chaired by the ERA Chairman, Mr Lyndon Rowe and provided with executive support by the Secretariat.

The ERACCC meets quarterly, for four hours, at the ERA office in Perth.