NECA head of government relations and regulatory affairs, Kent Johns, and director of policy, technical and safety, Neil Roberts, appeared before the NSW Parliament’s Inquiry into EV Infrastructure to provide evidence on behalf of the electrotechnology industry.

NECA says there are growing concerns about the influence of electricity network operators in the EV charging market. Among those were the limited transparency, shared staffing and commercial conduct that can disadvantage independent contractors and undermine fair competition.

The Association also argues that the current ring-fencing framework isn’t keeping pace. It contains too many exemptions, lacks strong enforcement and doesn’t provide the separation needed between monopoly services and competitive markets.

NECA cautioned the risk that EV infrastructure costs can be added to the regulated asset base. This would then result in electricity customers subsidising network-led charging infrastructure through power bills.

“Australia has innovative manufacturers producing high-quality EV charging equipment. These businesses support jobs and regional economies but are too often overlooked in favour of cheaper options with limited long-term value,” NECA chief executive Oliver Judd says.

NECA called on the NSW Government to take a bigger role in oversight.

“Network operators should focus on core responsibilities such as reliability, maintenance and housing connections. Any commercial activity in the EV space must be clearly separated, transparent and accountable,” Oliver says.

“The current regulatory oversight is not sufficient to ensure accountability, and having electricity users subsidising network operator-owned EV infrastructure is not equitable and should not be allowed.”