The National Gas Law requires the ERA to produce a gas rate of return instrument. The gas instrument sets out the methods the ERA will use to estimate the allowed rate of return and value of imputation credits for gas transmission and distribution service providers. These regulated gas pipelines are the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline, the Goldfields Gas Pipeline and the Mid-West and South-West Gas Distribution Systems.
The ERA will review the current gas instrument and replace it with the 2026 Gas Instrument. This provides an opportunity to undertake a review of approaches for determining the allowed rate of return on capital.
As part of the consultation process for the 2026 gas instrument review, the ERA will seek input from a Consumer Reference Group. The Consumer Reference Group provides direct and ongoing feedback to the ERA during the gas instrument review process that represents broad consumer perspectives. This is to balance what may otherwise be seen as a process in which only service providers have input to the ERA’s determinations.
The Consumer Reference Group has a core consumer focus and advocates strongly for all consumers, including future consumers.
The members of the Consumer Reference Group are:
Chris Pattas (Chair)
Mr Pattas holds significant experience in government and regulatory roles, having held senior positions in economic regulation, including telecommunications, transport, aviation, and energy having previously worked with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Australian Energy Regulator.
His expertise spans pricing, access frameworks, and regulatory economics and managing projects and teams.
Sarah Holman
Ms Holman is currently the Policy and Advocacy Lead at the Financial Counsellors’ Association of WA (FCAWA).
FCAWA provides consumer advocacy and support to people experiencing vulnerability and financial hardship. Their statewide network provides direct insight into consumer experiences with essential services.
Kieran Donoghue
Mr Donoghue is an energy industry consumer advocate. He is the current chair of the Australian Energy Regulator’s Consumer Reference Group for its rate of return instrument review as well as being a current member of the AusNet Co-ordination group.
Mr Donoghue has significant experience in the energy sector as a regulatory economist, industry body representative and as an independent consultant.
Bobby Ditric
Mr Ditric has extensive experience in the energy sector including electricity and gas market operation, energy market reform and project development.
He has advised commercial, regulatory, and policy stakeholders on market matters in Western Australian, Eastern Australian, Northern Territory and international electricity sectors.
Contact us
- Response to request for submissions (we prefer to receive submissions electronically)
rateofreturnCRGsubmissions@erawa.com.au - General enquiries
rateofreturnCRGinfo@erawa.com.au