Small business is the engine room of the Australian economy, and the Albanese Labor Government is backing the sector by extending energy bill relief to help reduce cost pressures.
Around one million eligible small businesses will receive extra rebates of $150 until the end of 2025, which brings total energy bill relief up to $800 since 2022-23.
We know small businesses are doing it tough. We want small businesses to grow, employ more Australians, and expand their market share.
New investments in this Budget bring the Government's targeted support for Australia's record 2.6 million small businesses to more than $2 billion in this Parliamentary term.
This comes on top of the Albanese Labor Government launching the first ever National Small Business Strategy with the backing of state and territory governments, which lays out how different levels of government can work together to support Australia's small businesses.
The Government's policies will mean Australian small businesses, which are the lifeblood of cities and towns across the country, remain at the centre of Australia's productivity and innovation agenda.
To help ease financial pressure on small businesses, the Government will:
- Extend Energy Bill Relief, with around one million eligible small businesses receiving rebates.
- Promote prompt 20‑day payment times for contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry for work completed for Government Business Enterprises undertaking major construction activity, such as the NBN Co Ltd and Western Sydney Airport (WSA) Co Ltd.
- Support the hospitality sector and alcohol producers by pausing indexation on draught beer excise by increasing support available under the existing Excise remission scheme for manufacturers of alcoholic beverages and Wine Equalisation Tax Producer rebate, estimated to decrease receipts by $165.0 million over five years from 2024-25.
- Provide up to $18 million for Creditor Assistance Payments to support eligible South Australian and Whyalla‑based businesses affected by the Whyalla Steelworks administration; and
To level the playing field for Australia's small businesses, the Government will:
- Provide $7.1 million over two years from 2025-26 to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to strengthen enforcement of the Franchising Code of Conduct and ensure a more transparent and effective regulatory framework for the franchising sector.
- Invest $3.4 million over three years from 2025-26 to establish a placed‑based business coaching and mentoring program for First Nations businesswomen and entrepreneurs.
- Provide $3.0 million over four years from 2025-26 to improve the ability of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to identify and take enforcement action against those involved in illegal phoenixing conduct.
- Invest $2.9 million to help fresh produce suppliers understand and enforce their rights under the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.
- Provide $0.8 million to work with states and territories to extend Unfair Trading Practice protections to small businesses, and extend protections from Unfair Contract Terms and Unfair Trading Practices to businesses regulated by the Franchising Code of Conduct.
In line with the National Small Business Strategy, we are continuing to work with states and territories to drive a coordinated and collaborative approach to small business policies and supports around the country.
To support small businesses to grow, the Government will:
- Provide $207 million over two years from 2025-26 to continue the stabilisation of Australia's business registers and undertake targeted uplifts, including linking Director Identification Numbers to the Company Register.
- Cut red tape by working with the states and territories on national licensing for electrical trades, development of a national screening check for workers in the care sector, streamlining commercial planning and zoning, and removing barriers that inhibit the take‑up of modern construction methods, backed by the $900 million National Productivity Fund.
The new measures in the Budget reflect the Albanese Labor Government's determination to support the communities which own, operate and sustain Australia's small business network, and continue to build on strong economic foundations which have already been laid.
We'll continue to support and defend Australia's small businesses, and ensure they remain at the heart of the Government's decision making.
