var sc_security="f5499bb3"; Source: Shutterstock. What I found: offers from Origin Energy and Energy Australia through commercial price-comparison sites were 5-12% higher. SmartCompany is the leading online publication in Australia for free news, information and resources catering to Australia's entrepreneurs, small and medium business owners and business managers. Australian businesses will be able to write-off the full value of all new assets under a measure announced in the federal budget. Price-comparison websites promise to untangle the plethora of deals and find you the best one. var sc_project=1949826; : "https://www. iSelect has admitted liability and made joint submissions with the ACCC to the Federal Court consenting to orders sought, including penalties. Momentum Energy General Terms - Move Mate Electricity – Plan terms –Solar Step Up – Plan Terms – Bill Boss Electricity – Plan Terms – Bill Boss Gas – Plan Terms – Momentum Solar Feed in Tariff Scheme terms-My Account Terms & Conditions; Origin Energy. In January 2019, I compared the offers of Australia’s two biggest energy providers (Origin Energy and Energy Australia) made through the commercial comparison sites, with those available to customers directly from the retailers themselves. Commission-based price comparison need not be problematic. “iSelect was not upfront with consumers that it wasn’t comparing all plans offered by its partner retailers. There’s a capital gains tax exemption for that, Budget 2020 income tax cuts: It’s time to update your payroll, ATO says, Brisbane startup Roubler sells majority stake to MYOB, Budget 2020: Loss carry-back scheme will allow businesses to reclaim last year’s taxes, Budget 2020: What we know will be included for SMEs and startups, said Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims last week, compared the offers of Australia’s two biggest energy providers. This is a particular challenge for price comparison. Peter Dinham - retired and is a "volunteer" writer for iTWire. Level 6, 22 William St, As a freelance journalist he also had articles published in Australian and overseas magazines. In some cases, iSelect underestimated the total price for plans for up to $140 per quarter. “iSelect’s misleading conduct may have caused some consumers to switch electricity providers or plans on the basis of a price that was understated or without being aware that a cheaper plan was available,” adds Sims. The ACCC says that during the period, hundreds of thousands of consumers visited the website and, actually, iSelect’s commercial arrangements with partner electricity retailers restricted the number of electricity plans those retailers could upload onto the iSelect systems, and “therefore the recommended plans were not necessarily the most suitable or competitive”.