Increased penalties

From May 2025, Energy Safe’s regulatory powers have been strengthened with increased penalties for certain offences under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 and the Gas Safety Act 1997.

The increased penalties better reflect the seriousness of the offences and act as a stronger deterrent to non-compliance. The increases bring the penalties into line with similar offences in other legislation.

Examples of increased penalties for offences under the Electricity Safety Act are:

• Knowingly installing electrical equipment or carrying out electrical equipment work which is unsafe or will be unsafe if connected to an electricity supply – the maximum penalty has increased from 40 penalty units to 240 penalty units for an individual with a new maximum penalty of 1200 penalty units for a body corporate.
• Carrying out electrical installation work which does not comply with the Act and the Regulations and is not tested in accordance with and at intervals required by the Regulations – the maximum penalty has increased from 40 penalty units to 240 penalty units.

Examples of increased penalties for offences under the Gas Safety Act are:

• Knowingly, recklessly or negligently supplying or selling (or offering to supply or sell) an unsafe appliance – the maximum penalty has increased from 40 penalty units to 240 penalty units for an individual and from 200 penalty units to 1200 penalty units for a body corporate.
• Knowingly, recklessly or negligently breaking, injuring, opening or tampering with any pipeline, gas installation or meter assembly – the maximum penalty has increased from 40 penalty units to 60 penalty units for an individual and from 200 penalty units to 300 penalty units for a body corporate.
• Not complying with an improvement notice issued by Energy Safe – the maximum penalty has increased from 80 penalty units to 240 penalty units for an individual and from 400 penalty units to 1200 penalty units for a body corporate.

For the financial year 2024-25 the value of one penalty unit is $197.59. The value of a penalty unit is set annually by the Victorian Treasurer and is updated on 1 July each year.

For full details of these changes:

Increased penalties: Electricity Safety Act

Increased penalties: Gas Safety Act