Members
Independent Energy Customer Advocate
Louise Benjamin
Louise is a commercial and regulatory lawyer with extensive experience in energy and telecommunications regulation. She has worked as an independent energy customer advocate since 2016.
Louise is passionate about exploring strategic outcomes which benefit customers of regulated businesses. Her aim is to advocate for a balanced and innovative approach to the energy transition to maximise customer value.
St Vincent de Paul Society
Gavin Dufty, National Director Energy Policy and Research
Gavin’s focus is on issues and challenges of disadvantage vulnerable households. He has undertaken research into electricity disconnections, changes in energy pricing, proposed rule changes and been involved in the development of state and federal energy consumer protection and concession frameworks.
Gavin is currently a representative on several industry and government committees including gas and electricity distribution companies’ customer consultative committees; the AER’s / ESC customer consultative group and a Board member of Energy Consumers Australia.
Energy Users Association of Australia
Mark Grenning, Director Policy and Regulation
Mark represents all aspects of electricity and gas supply to large companies in the National Energy Market. He is involved in a wide range of industry and regulatory advisory bodies.
Previously, he was a member of the AER’s Consumer Challenge Panel for five years and lectured in the Energy Masters program at the University of Melbourne for five years. Prior to that, he worked around the world for 30 years with Rio Tinto specialising in electricity and gas supply to operations.
Ausgrid is a Corporate Partner member of the EUAA with some of its members being among Ausgrid largest customers. ; Mark looks to provide Ausgrid with a better understanding of the needs of large customers and how Ausgrid can efficiently provide those services.
Justice and Equity Centre
Jan Kucic-Riker, Policy Officer – Energy and Water
Jan has been a Policy Officer in the Justice and Equity Centre’s Energy and Water Justice team since 2022. He works across a range of areas including pricing, network regulation, and energy planning to ensure people’s needs are met by clean, resilient, and efficient energy and water systems.
Jan advocates for people and communities who are marginalised and facing disadvantage and works to ensure they have a meaningful role in decision-making processes. His work on the CCC seeks to improve equity and limit disadvantage by collaborating with Ausgrid to promote access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy services.
Independent Energy Customer Advocate
Colby Taylor
Colby is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in strategic engagement, stakeholder relationship management, and communication. She currently serves as the Associate Director – Corporate Affairs at Housing Australia, where she leads the development and execution of strategies that support the Federal Government's mission to deliver long-term, sustainable social and affordable housing across the nation.
Previously, Colby was the Strategic Engagement Director at the Greater Cities Commission, overseeing community and stakeholder engagement across six city regions, driving economic precinct development, and addressing transformative city-shaping initiatives.
Colby’s interest stems from a passion for driving equitable access to essential services and fostering solutions that are customer-centric and sustainable, particularly in regional, remote and rural communities.
Business NSW
Leah Tucker
Leah Tucker is a policy professional with a history of working in the private, public and not-for-profit sector both in Australia and overseas. She has worked on policy led strategy development, execution, and delivery of results focused on, infrastructure, sustainability, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation programs, Aboriginal community programs, placemaking and public space.
Coupled with an environmental science and data background, she believes in using data to drive policy outcomes. Leah is currently Senior Policy Manager – Energy and Infrastructure for Business NSW. She has a particular interest in ensuring business in NSW, especially SMEs, reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy and infrastructure needed to drive productivity and create a thriving NSW. She is also managing other areas such as housing, ESG and sustainability/biodiversity.
Observers
Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW
Rory Campbell, Manager Policy and Systemic Issues
Rory has worked in this energy industry for over 25 years, working in the finance side, generation, rule making and now in the customer space.
EWON strives for better customer outcomes. Setting things up so customers don’t need to come to us with a complaint is what we strive for. Our role on the Ausgrid CCC helps with this aim.
Hunter Joint Organisation
Tim Askew, Director of Programs
Tim has worked for 15 years in local government across a broad range of areas, including circular economy, city and coastal revitalisation, place making, economic development, smart city, destination marketing, waste management, project management and finance. His 20 years in the private sector included the health insurance, education and manufacturing industries. He is excited to bring this diverse experience and expertise in collaboration to the committee.
Tim’s interest is driven by a commitment to leveraging his extensive experience in sustainability, community engagement and government collaboration. His aim is to contribute to the committee’s efforts in enhancing the quality and reliability of energy services for all customers, with a special focus on collaboration with government to achieve equitable access to net zero opportunities in the community.
Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils
Helen Sloan, CEO
Helen has worked at SSROC, an association of 12 southern Sydney councils, for over 16 years. Her work includes managing joint initiatives for councils such as street lighting improvement, smart cities and energy procurement, as well as many other council services.
Councils work to serve their communities in many ways, and Helen’s role is to support them by delivering sustainable, cost-effective solutions.
Ausgrid’s street lighting service is both a key community safety matter that SSROC continually seeks to improve, and an important enabler of smart city technology. She also seeks to work with Ausgrid to ensure an equitable transition to net zero emissions.
