The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) received four rule changes from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) on 19 December 2025. The rule changes relate to protections for customers experiencing payment difficulty and are:  

• Clarifying disconnection protections (RRC0072)
• Simplifying the eligibility framework for payment difficulty protections (RRC0073)  
• Improving payment assistance information (RRC0075)  
• Strengthening minimum disconnection protections (RRC0076)

These requests will be fast-tracked as an energy market body has made the rule change request and has already adequately consulted with the public on the nature and content of the rule change request throughout the AER's Review of payment difficulty protections in the National Energy Customer Framework.  

Given the interactions with the four rule change requests, we have consolidated them into a single rule change process called Streamlining payment difficulty protections (RRC0075). The requests aim to clarify and strengthen disconnection protections, improve payment difficulty assistance information and simplify the eligibility framework for payment difficulty protections.  

We plan to publish a draft determination on 18 June 2026.