The National Energy Retail Law (Retail Law) and National Energy Retail Rules (Retail Rules) include new roles for the AER in mandating how retailers present their pricing information to customers. Under the Retail Law, the AER must develop and implement a Retail Pricing Information Guideline (Guideline) for energy retailers. The aim of the Guideline is to assist customers in readily comparing standing offer prices and market offer prices offered by retailers. The Guideline was first published on 12 September 2011.
On 30 January 2012, the AER released an amended version of the AER Retail Pricing Information Guideline (the amended Guideline), which included an additional section providing direction to energy retailers about the provision of data and information to the AER for the purposes of the price comparator website. The AER has also released the final Statement of Approach to the price comparator website.