EnergyAustralia hit with $1.2 million fine

The news: EnergyAustralia has been ordered to pay customers $1.2 million in credits and debt waivers after failing to offer them assistance while facing financial difficulty.

The context: Victoria's Essential Services Commission issued a court-enforceable undertaking forcing the China Light & Power-owned generator and retailer to pay the fine because in the state it is mandatory for energy companies to alert customers of better deals if they face financial hardship.

What they said: "It’s disappointing that a company as large as EnergyAustralia has failed its customers. We expect businesses of this size to have robust systems in place to ensure this doesn’t happen," Essential Services Commission chairman and commissioner Gerard Brody said.