This price change is driven by changes in the network charges levied by distributors and passed through to end consumers in their bills. The new network charges come into effect on 1 July, and so retailers generally change their retail prices at the same time or shortly after, to accommodate those changes.

In 2021, for the first time, the July distributor price change also affects Victorian prices. Victoria previously had its distribution network price change and the resulting retail price changes in January each year.

From 2021 onward, all states will be aligned with a July price change that will affect all plans from all retailers. The changes can be simple pricing updates to existing plans, but retailers often take this as an opportunity to release new plans or to overhaul their suite and plans and prices completely.

It usually takes at least a week for all retailers to release their new plans and prices, and when they do, there's a knock-on effect as many of them adjust their pricing in response to their competitors. So pricing is in flux for the first week in July, and now with the inclusion of Victoria, the variation will only be greater.