The Government has appointed Mr James Cox PSM as the acting State/Territory member of the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for a 12 month period beginning on 9 September 2013.
The AER has responsibility for the economic regulation of the National Electricity Market, as well as wholesale gas markets and pipelines in jurisdictions other than Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The AER also enforces the National Energy Retail Law in South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Cox is currently a member and CEO of the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) and has held this post since 2004. Mr Cox has also been a member of IPART since 1996. Mr Cox will resign this position on appointment to the AER.
The AER consists of two members nominated by the States and Territories and one member nominated by the Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in accordance with the Australian Energy Market Agreement.