Regulator told full economic impact of coronavirus on households still to come
09 April 2020
Essential Services Commission chair Kate Symons hosted an urgent roundtable with senior community help sector representatives to hear directly about how coronavirus is affecting consumers.
Representatives from a range of community service and small business organisations attended the forum to speak to commissioners about the impact of the virus on households and small business.
Some spoke about the ‘calm before the storm’ ahead of what is expected to be a significant increase in requests for assistance in coming months.
The group encouraged the commission to continue to bring the sector together over coming months as the full economic impact of coronavirus becomes apparent.
Transcript
I’d like to welcome you to today’s roundtable and thank you for attending. I know how busy everyone is, so I appreciate the time you’ve taken at such short notice.
I’d also like to acknowledge the personal circumstances we’re all working within. Some of us are negotiating caring responsibilities (you may see my two sons walking around in the background) and all of us are finding a way to navigate a ‘new normal’.
Some of our team listened to a Thriving Communities Partnership webinar yesterday where Ciara Sterling, who’s here today, was talking about how the coronavirus pandemic is having an impact on every single one of us and I think it’s important to acknowledge that first and foremost.
We have a number of participants and observers today – I’ll take a moment to introduce and welcome everyone. We are all here to listen. Of course, it is open to anyone to ask or raise issues, but we are very interested today to hear directly from community and small business groups.
From the community sector
Ombudsman, Cynthia Gebert and Zac Gillam – Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria
Lauren Solomon and Emma O'Neill – Consumer Policy Research Centre
Damian Sullivan and David Bryant – Brotherhood of St Laurence
Gavin Dufty– St Vincent de Paul
Brooke McKail and Jarrod Lenne– Victorian Council of Social Service
Ciara Sterling - Thriving Communities Partnership
Gerard Brody and Jake Lilley – Consumer Action Law Centre
Sandy Ross and Lyn Dundon – Financial Counselling Victoria
Carolyn Bond – Economic Abuse Reference Group
Representing small business
Hugh Horsfall – Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Observers
Sarah Proudfoot – Australian Energy Regulator
Nathan Crombie, Rod Curtis and Helen Vaughan – Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Daniel Wilson-Otto, Mel Mangolini and Alicia Kraus – Department of Treasury and Finance
Commission staff
I’m joined by my fellow commissioners –Simon Corden, Sitesh Bhojani and Rebecca Billings
Members of our executive team – Marcus Crudden, Sarah McDowell and Michelle Bryne
Jess and Kat, our leads on vulnerability policy, research and engagement, and their project manager Lucy Weston.
Today’s agenda
(A short introduction followed by updates from participants, a discussion on key topics/emerging themes and wrap up)
Introduction
The coronavirus crisis is creating significant challenges for many consumers and the community services that support them. We know the current crisis is likely to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and create new ones, and that this will be felt in both the short and the long term.
We are committed to ensuring the voices of consumers, particularly those experiencing vulnerability, inform our decision making.
Today is not about us talking, but about us listening to you. At this critical time we want to understand the issues affecting consumers now, and what you anticipate we will be seeing in the future.
We want to know what the current and urgent priorities are from your perspective.
We want to hear your insights about what’s happening on the ground right now for consumers and community services. As the crisis unfolds, we want to ensure we are hearing the frontline experiences of community workers and consumers.
We will also be active in other discussions and forums to ensure we are as closely connected as possible to what’s happening on the ground.
We want you to tell us about the practical implications for consumers during the coronavirus crisis.
While there is urgency required in our responses right now, we’re also aware that our short-term responses can have long term consequences—so while we want to act fast, we also want to act from a considered position.
That means having as much information as we can about the experiences of consumers so we can make robust and sustainable decisions.
The information you share with us today and over the coming weeks and months will allow us to not only understand the experiences of consumers, but give us the ability to respond as needs arise, and be nimble enough to adapt to the unfolding situation.
We hope this meeting will be the first in a series with you as this crisis unfolds. Towards the end of today’s roundtable we will talk about next steps.
Update from community organisations
We are fortunate to have representatives from 10 organisations here today. I’d like to give organisations an opportunity to provide an update of two to three minutes each to provide some reflections on what you have been seeing in your work with consumers and small businesses and the impacts on Victoria’s community.
Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV)
Consumer Policy Research Centre
Brotherhood of St Laurence
St Vincent de Paul
Victorian Council of Social Services
Thriving Communities Partnership
Consumer Action Law Centre
Financial Counselling Victoria
Economic Abuse Reference Group
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Discussion topics
Are you seeing an escalation of vulnerability due to coronavirus, including the amplification of existing vulnerabilities and the creation new ones for consumers?
What are you seeing as some of the key differences and risks for consumers with entrenched vulnerabilities, and consumers experiencing vulnerability for the first time? Do you expect these to change or escalate over the next two to three months and longer term?
What are some of the key concerns for the community sector—both from an operational perspective, and for consumers—for the future?
What are your long term expectations—past the end of the immediate public health crisis—and what do we need to be aware of when we are designing our responses?
Are your clients finding it more difficult to get onto their retailer through the phone to discuss payment difficulties?
In closing
The information you share with us today and over the coming weeks and months will allow us to not only understand the experiences of consumers, but give us the ability to move quickly as needs arise, and be nimble enough to adapt to the unfolding situation.
Can I take the opportunity to thank everyone for making the time, and for your valued contribution and insights into the effect of the pandemic on Victoria’s community. This has been a valuable exercise to more fully understand the experiences of consumers.
