On 4 February 2019, the AER released the draft Guideline for consultation and is accompanied by the Notice of draft instrument, which explains the development of the draft Guideline.

Interested parties were invited to make submissions on the draft Guideline by 4 March 2019.

The AER held a stakeholder workshop in Melbourne on 25 February 2019 to provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders to provide early comments on the draft Guideline. Workshop participants included consumer advocates, retailers, ombudsman services and other experts. The workshop was run by an independent facilitator.

The AER sought views on whether the draft Guideline will improve outcomes for customers experiencing hardship, and whether there are serious impediments to retailers implementing the Guideline. 32 organisations participated.