Methodology
How we turn regulator data and rate cards into readable guides
There's no shortage of raw information about Australian electricity tariffs. The harder part is organising it so a household can act on it in ten minutes rather than an afternoon.
Where the information comes from
Most of what we write references three kinds of public material. First, the Australian Energy Regulator's Energy Made Easy database, which standardises retailer plan fact sheets into a comparable format. Second, distribution network documents that set out time-of-use windows, since these differ by network area rather than by retailer. Third, retailer-published rate cards and feed-in tariff schedules, which are typically available on each retailer's own website without needing an account.
We cross-check details across at least two sources where practical, and we note when a rule varies significantly between states rather than presenting a single national answer as if it applied everywhere.
The stages a guide goes through
Topic scoping
We start with a question households actually ask, such as "why is my shoulder rate higher some months."
Source gathering
We collect publicly available documents from distributors, retailers and the AER relevant to that question.
Plain-language drafting
Technical terms get rewritten with an example, since a definition alone rarely helps someone reading their own bill.
Neutral review
A second team member checks the draft doesn't drift into recommending a specific plan, retailer or product.
Scheduled revisit
Articles referencing regulated figures or state schemes get flagged for periodic review as rules change.
Boundaries we hold to
We don't publish specific numeric feed-in rates or plan prices as though they are fixed, because these change frequently and vary by retailer, network and even by meter type. Instead we explain the mechanism behind a figure, so it still makes sense to you even after the number itself has moved.
We also avoid telling anyone which retailer or plan to choose. That decision depends on a household's own usage pattern, contract preferences and appetite for time-of-use complexity, none of which we can assess from a general article. For that comparison step, Energy Made Easy remains the more appropriate tool, since it's built specifically to filter live retailer offers.
Open Energy Made EasySpotted something that looks outdated?
Regulatory detail shifts state by state. If a page references a rule that has since changed, we would rather hear about it and review it than leave it as is.
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