AER invites submissions on Hardship Guideline issues paper

The Australian Energy Regulator has today released an issues paper on the Hardship Guideline for consultation.

The consultation is the first step in formally seeking stakeholder views on the development of the Guideline. We seek stakeholder comment on four key consultation issues:

1. How should the Guideline best ensure that consumers are effectively informed about their rights?
2. How should the Guideline support consistent application of the Retail Law minimum standards?
3. How should the Guideline support consumers most in need of hardship assistance to receive it?
4. How should the Guideline facilitate more customers completing hardship programs successfully?

Information received in response to the consultation questions in the issues paper will inform the development of the Guideline and our understanding of stakeholder views regarding the impact of any requirements we prescribe.

Invitation for submissions

Interested parties are invited to make written submissions on the issues paper by Monday 14 January 2019. Due to timing constraints provided by the rule, we will be unable to consider late submissions.

Submissions should be send electronically to AERConsumerandPolicyaer [dot] gov [dot] au (AERConsumerandPolicy[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au) with the subject line 'Hardship Guideline issues paper submission'.

Alternatively, written submissions can be sent to:

General Manager, Consumers and Markets
Australian Energy Regulator
GPO Box 520
Melbourne VIC 3001