2028 ISP Consumer Panel

Michael Swanston (Chair) is a professional engineer and consumer advocate with more than 40 years’ experience across the Australian and international electricity sectors, spanning senior executive leadership, network operations, regulatory advisory, and governance roles. He has held senior positions including Network Development Manager at Powercor and General Manager Network Operations and Group Manager Customer Advocacy at Energex, and has extensive expertise in electricity transmission and distribution planning and operation, asset management, and regulatory frameworks. His career has bridged technical and policy domains, with a strong focus on ensuring efficient network investment, system resilience, and the integration of renewable energy deliver demonstrable value for consumers.

Michael served for more than a decade as a member of the Australian Energy Regulator’s Customer Challenge Panel, contributing to numerous transmission and distribution regulatory determinations, and has participated in multiple consumer advisory and consultative bodies for major utilities. As the founder of the Customer Advocate role at Energex, he embedded consumer perspectives into organisational decision-making during a period of significant industry change. He has also undertaken regulatory and technical advisory work internationally, including in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, and continues to provide independent advice to regulators, governments, and utilities on consumer outcomes, network investment, and the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Dr Jarra Hicks is an experienced consumer advocate who works with communities and organisations to empower them as active participants in a renewable powered energy system. She is a founding Director of Community Power Agency, a not-for-profit that works to foster a fair and fast transition to renewable energy that involves and benefits everyday Australians. Jarra also has a background in academia, where her PhD focused on the outcomes of energy change in small regional communities.

In her 15 years working in the energy sector Jarra has: worked with communities on community-owned renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; supported households to understand and take up energy solutions; and advocated for market and policy reforms to increase participation, fairness and benefit to small and medium consumers. She has also worked with industry and government to improve the social performance of utility renewable energy projects and policies, with a focus on social licence, community engagement, benefit sharing and local procurement.

Dr Ed Langham is Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) with over 20 years’ energy sector experience spanning academic, public and private sectors. He is also a Fellow and non-executive Director of UK-based systems think tank, the Schumacher Institute. Ed is recognised for his expertise in energy infrastructure planning, consumer energy resources integration, regulatory reform and business model innovation, with a focus on how decentralised technologies can empower consumers and improve system outcomes.

His extensive research on affordability, equity and participation in the energy transition across diverse consumer groups is informed by deep engagement and collaboration with government, regulators, industry and consumer bodies. Ed currently leads large, multidisciplinary projects examining household electrification, demand flexibility, data centre energy demand, and the role of consumer behaviour in shaping long-term system outcomes.

Georgina Morris is a senior policy professional with extensive experience in energy, water, and essential services regulation, consumer advocacy, and policy development. She is currently a Senior Policy Officer at the South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) where she leads energy policy and consumer advocacy work, including authoring submissions to national market bodies, regulators, and government departments. In this role, she provides expert advice on consumer protections, pricing and billing reforms, metering frameworks, and has represented consumer interests in regulatory determination processes involving SA Power Networks and SA Water.

Committed to social justice, Georgina has a strong record of advancing energy consumers’ long-term interests, with a focus on affordability, equity, and access for households experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage. Georgina also brings significant experience in collaborative, multi-stakeholder processes, including chairing advisory groups and working closely with industry, regulators, consumer organisations and community stakeholders to inform system planning and policy reform.