Independent reviews

We undertake regular independent reviews to make sure we’re complying with the customer dispute resolution benchmarks, described in Commonwealth Government's Benchmarks for Industry-based Customer Dispute Resolution (CDR).

The CDR benchmarks set out our principles of accessibility, independence, fairness, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness.

Professor Ron Paterson ONZM conducted the Independent Review of EWOV between February and June 2025. To support this, he performed the following activities:

• Two week-long site visits to EWOV’s office, including observation of staff work and participation in team discussions.
• Interviews with EWOV’s Ombudsman, senior leadership, managers, staff, and Board members.
• Engagement with external stakeholders including regulators, consumer advocates, government departments, and other Ombudsman schemes.
• Review of complaint files and live observation of consumer calls (with consent).
• Analysis of EWOV’s website, policies, annual reports, board papers, and internal documentation.
• Consideration of relevant research and previous independent reviews.

The review finds that EWOV is performing well in a challenging environment, with strong stakeholder confidence, a positive internal culture, and a renewed strategic direction under new leadership. It recognises the impact of the scheme’s new case handling model, which is delivering faster, clearer, and more consistent outcomes for consumers and providers alike.

Importantly, the review also identifies areas where EWOV can do more to meet the needs of Victorians, particularly as energy and water markets continue to change. It recommends updates to the EWOV Constitution and Charter to strengthen independence, modernise governance, and ensure the scheme’s funding model is fit for purpose. It also calls for greater transparency, including publishing comparative complaints data and binding decisions, and expanding on educational work to help prevent disputes before they arise.

EWOV welcomes the review’s findings and thanks Professor Paterson ONZM for his thorough and thoughtful assessment. We also thank the many stakeholders — including community organisations, regulators, scheme members, and consumers — who contributed to the review.

Over the coming months, the EWOV Board and leadership will consider the recommendations in detail and publish a formal response outlining next steps.

EWOV remains committed to helping Victorian energy and water markets work better for people by resolving complaints fairly and efficiently, sharing insights, and supporting trust and confidence in the transition to clean energy by evolving our jurisdiction.

Consulting agency cameron.ralph.khoury reviewed us in 2019. It determined that we met the CDR benchmarks.

It advised that we remain “a professionally run external dispute resolution (EDR) scheme” that has the “strong support of both consumer organisations and Providers”.

The final report offers valuable feedback about how we should evolve and suggests areas that will support improved performance against the CDR benchmarks. The EWOV Board considered and responded to these recommendations.

Consulting agency CameronRalph Navigator reviewed us in 2014. It found that we met the benchmarks.

It advised that we are a professionally-run scheme whose staff are highly engaged with their work and committed to continuous improvement.

The final report made recommendations for “subtle shifts in balance”, to which the board responded.