Legislative framework for electricity
Under Australian constitutional arrangements, the regulation of energy is the responsibility of the various states and territories. In NSW, the Minister with responsibility for general matters relating to electricity and gas is the Minister for Energy.
Under the legislation for which the Minister has responsibility, the Minister's role can be delegated to an authorised person such as the Director-General of Industry & Investment NSW.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is responsible for administering licensing within the energy industry and monitoring compliance with licence requirements. IPART's roles and functions in relation to electricity and gas are set out in the National Electricity (New South Wales) Act 1997, the Electricity Supply Act 1995, the Gas Supply Act 1996 and the Gas Pipelines Access (NSW) Act 1998.