Business welcomes electricity price falls

Media release: 26 May 2026

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has today welcomed news by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) of prospective falls in energy prices for businesses and households from July 1.

Australia’s largest and most representative business network says the Default Market Offer (DMO) announcement will be welcome news for small businesses struggling with high costs.

ACCI Chief Executive Officer Andrew McKellar said the price drop comes after a prolonged period of highly volatile energy costs for business and consumers, with prices increasing between 15–27 per cent over the last three years.

“The stabilising of energy prices in 2026-27 is welcome news and it provides businesses, especially small business, some much-needed breathing space,” Mr McKellar said.

“Hopefully, small businesses will continue to see price reductions reflected in forward contracts for electricity over the next few years.”

According to the AER, small businesses in New South Wales can expect to see reductions in flat-rate fees of up to 20.9 per cent, while in southeast Queensland, small businesses will see reductions of up to 14 per cent, and up to 12.1 per cent in South Australia.

However, Mr McKellar cautions that the energy challenge remains and more work needs to be done to secure reliable and cheaper electricity for business and consumers.

“The high cost of electricity, and energy more broadly, remains a critical challenge for businesses and it is imperative that policymakers focus on reducing those costs,” said Mr McKellar.