The Morrison Government today welcomed the release of the draft report into the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (GEMS Act).

The GEMS Act regulates the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment by setting minimum energy performance standards and energy rating label requirements.

The draft report demonstrates that the GEMS Act has proven very effective at reducing costs for consumers and contains a number of recommendations to strengthen the operation of the Act.

The current review is an important step in a process of continuous improvement to ensure the Act remains appropriate and effective. The Government encourages stakeholders to continue to participate in this independent review by making a submission on the draft report. The final report is expected to be delivered mid-2019.

The Government remains committed to ensuring customers remain at the focus of its energy policy, and promoting efficient energy usage is an important part of this.

The GEMS legislation has driven significant improvements in energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

The GEMS regulations save Australian households between $140 and $220 on their electricity bill each year (about 10 to 15 per cent of the average annual bill). In 2017, net savings to the Australian economy ranged between $862 million to $1.64 billion with greenhouse gas emissions savings between 4.6 million and 7.4 million tonnes.

Visit www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-productivity-and-energy-efficiency/gems-act-review to access the draft report. For further information please contact GEMSreview [at] environment.gov.au”">GEMSreview [at] environment.gov.au.