Gas prices have soared in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, but many Australians are still finding it hard to understand how it happened.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has confirmed that consumers have been able to use a combination of the combined gas law (CGS) and the legal requirement of the common law to recover costs associated with the importation of natural gas, but it has said the legislation is still in place.
A spokeswoman for the commission said: ”In terms of the CGS, the ACCC has been making inquiries into whether consumers have successfully applied for a refund on a range of costs.
”While we are aware of the ongoing problems consumers are experiencing with the CGs system, we will continue to monitor consumer experiences as they are discovered.
“We are confident that consumers will have a refund in the event they are successful in their claim.”
The spokeswoman added that consumers are still able to claim back any costs incurred by the CGA when they imported natural gas.
It is understood the commission is considering whether consumers are entitled to recover those costs, but there is no requirement for them to do so.
An expert panel from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is investigating whether there are any changes to the CGGS that will allow consumers to recover the costs of natural Gas importation.
ACCC Commissioner John Williams said the law was ”still in force and still relevant”.
”It’s still an important part of the system and there are a number of important aspects of the legislation that we are interested in reviewing,” he said.
He said the commission would also consider whether consumers can recover the cost of imported gas if they were to buy a gas card.
Mr Williams said consumers should have access to both CGS and CGA at the same time.
If you have been in the water or the air for a period of time, you should be able to recover your costs in a timely manner.
The costs will be assessed by the water authority and will be passed on to the consumer if you are able to prove you have recovered the costs.
You should also be able claim your gas back from the water authorities if you have a valid gas card or if the water is not operating.
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