On 25 June 2014 the Senate referred an inquiry into the need for a national approach to retail leasing arrangements to the Senate Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 October 2014.

On 28 October 2014, the committee was granted an extension to report by the 8th sitting day in 2015. On 3 March 2015, the committee was granted a further extension to report by the 18 March 2015.

Submissions closed on 28 August 2014.