AER consultation - Price comparator website

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has today released an issues paper on the development of its national price comparator website.

Under the Retail Law (which is expected to commence on 1 July 2012), the AER must develop and operate an online price comparator tool to assist small customers to compare offers.

The AER envisages that the price comparator website will include offers for elecricity, gas and dual fuels. The AER proposes that users will input a variety of information and the website will generate a list of energy offers available to them.

The AER has commenced preparations for the website's development. The issues paper contains several targeted areas on which the AER seeks submissions from stakeholders and interested parties. However, the AER also welcomes general comments on the appropriate form, functionality and content of the website.

Stakeholder submissions must be received by 26 August 2011. Submissions can be emailed to AERInquiryaer [dot] gov [dot] au (AERInquiry[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au)  (marked 'AER price comparator - Attn Dianne McGrath').

Alternatively, submissions can be mailed to:

The AER will also be holding a public stakeholder forum on the price comparator, on 17 August 2011. The forum will be held in Melbourne, from 2pm until 5pm (AEST) and will be video linked to Hobart, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. To register your attendance, please send an email to AERInquiryaer [dot] gov [dot] au (AERInquiry[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au)  by Wednesday 10 August 2011, indicating the city in which you will attend. The subject of the email should state: 'Registration for price comparator stakeholder forum: attention Dianne McGrath'.