Community survey

Who we engage with

We believe region-specific stakeholder engagement strategies are key to ensuring our approach to engagement is properly targeted and adjusted over time and draw on the principles and approach set out in our overarching strategy.

Our reference groups

AGN has established several Reference Groups that provide an important forum for engaging stakeholders to inform the strategic development of AGN’s business decisions.

These Reference Groups are a key component of AGN’s wider stakeholder engagement program and are designed to provide AGN with efficient access to a broad cross-section of key community stakeholder groups.

Victoria/Albury Reference Group (VARG)

The VARG is represented by individuals from the following organisations:

Saint Vincent de Paul Society
Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)
NORTH Link
Master Plumbers Association
COTA VIC
Energy Consumers Australia (ECA)
Warragul Business Group

View the meeting minutes of the VARG below.

Retailer Reference Group (RRG)
Our RRG is represented by:

AGL Energy
Alinta Energy
EnergyAustralia
Lumo Energy
Origin Energy
SimplyEnergy

View the meeting minutes of the RRG below.

South Australia Reference Group (SARG)

The SARG is represented by individuals from the following sectors:

Business SA
Consumers SA
Conservation Council of SA
COTA
Property Council of Australia SA Division
Primary Producers SA
South Australian Council of Social Service
Uniting Communities

View the meeting minutes of the SARG below:

Reference Group Resources

Read our Reference Group Charter 2017
Read our Retailer Reference Group Charter 2017

Our stakeholders

Stakeholder Group	Description
Network Users
Residential	Residential users are those consumers that use gas for mainly domestic purposes, such as hot water heating, space heating and cooking.
Commercial/Small Business/ Industrial	Commercial, small business or small industrial users are non-residential users who use less than 10 Terajoules (TJ) of gas per annum, such as restaurants and bakeries.
Industrial Users	Industrial users are non-residential users who consume more than 10 TJ of gas per annum, such as hospitals, brickworks and industrial processing plants.
Vulnerable Customers	A sub-sector of all consumers, but likely to comprise mainly residential users. Vulnerable customers are those users experiencing financial hardship. These users will be particularly susceptible to any increase in the cost of living or cost of operation.
Energy Retailers	Retailers contract with Australian Gas Networks in order to facilitate the delivery gas to their customers (residential, commercial, small business, industrial and vulnerable).
Facilitators	Plumbers, builders, gas-fitters, developers, appliance retailers, appliance manufacturers. Those who facilitate the connection of gas to homes and property developments.
Potential Users	Non-gas users, including those customers that were previously connected to the gas distribution network. Non-gas users may be impacted by our activities if they live in an area where there is gas distribution (safety, mains replacement etc.). This group represents the community in general outside of existing customers (which are captured elsewhere in the classification system).
Regulators	State-based regulators (services standards and technical) and the Australian Energy Regulator. Regulators are responsible for implementing the relevant regulatory framework, including as it relates to the economic and safety/technical aspects of the network.
Energy Intermediaries
Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC)	The AEMC is responsible for making rules which govern the natural gas markets. The objective of the AEMC’s work is to promote efficient, reliable and secure energy markets which serve the long-term interests of consumers.
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)	AEMO is the energy market operator and planner. AEMO works closely with government stakeholders.
Government
State	Relevant departments such as: Energy, Planning, Environment, State Development, Industry and Consumer. Includes policy makers.
Local Council/Government	Local Governments (and their constituents) are impacted by the provision of natural gas services, including in respect to constituent satisfaction with service (safety and access to gas) and through our capital works program (e.g. reinstatement following mains replacement).
Non-Government Organisations	Various including the Energy and Water Ombudsman, Environmental groups.

Consumer Research
To assist us gain insights into stakeholder and customer values, AGN will use a targeted, fit-for-purpose engagement methods throughout the regions we serve.
The findings of our research are published on our Insights and Opinions page.

You can register to receive information about upcoming workshops or participate in online surveys.