This message first appeared in our August 2025 newsletter. To stay up to date with the latest news and research on energy issues that impact consumers, sign up to receive our monthly newsletter below.
Small businesses power our communities in countless ways. They’re the café down the street, the family plumber, the local grocer. Like households, small businesses worry about high bills and struggle to find good advice in a complex market. But the energy solutions they need aren’t necessarily the same as those that households want to see.
This month, we were delighted that the Hon Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, joined our Chair, Dr Michael Schaper, to co-chair our first Small Business Energy Roundtable. We wanted a space to listen directly to small business leaders about the barriers they face, how we can better support them through the transition, and to explore practical solutions.
The conversations were frank. We heard that too many small businesses are worried about high energy bills and often don’t know where to start, or who to trust, to address this. Our latest survey backs this up: only half review their energy plan each year, while more than one in ten never look for a better deal.
We heard about the frustration of being placed on tariffs that don’t reflect how a business actually operates. And we heard about the patchwork of protections, which leave some businesses without the safety nets that are often provided to households.
One area that needs addressing is the need for consistent and effective protections for small businesses. For example, a small Victorian dry cleaning business using more than 40 MWh, isn’t eligible for the same consumer protections as a similar business in NSW, QLD, or SA, because it’s not classified as a small energy user.
These thresholds haven’t been updated in years. This leaves too many small businesses without consistent protections or pathways for dispute resolution.
What came through strongly from the Roundtable was the imperative for clear, consistent, and practical support - whether that’s a trusted one-stop shop for tailored advice, fairer tariff structures, or nationally consistent consumer protections that include small businesses.
The Roundtable is just the beginning. We’ll use what we’ve learned to strengthen our advocacy on pricing reform, advice and support, and the protections small businesses need. Because when small businesses, the backbone of Australia’s economy, are equipped to thrive in the energy transition, everyone benefits.
