Business NSW has called for the federal government’s new energy strategy to include more support for small-to-medium enterprises.

Business NSW and the almost 50,000 businesses it represents had hoped the National Energy Performance Strategy would set out a credible pathway for businesses to reduce energy consumption and thrive in a period of necessary change.

The strategy however needs more clarity, focus and tangible actions to enable transition of our state’s SMEs to cleaner energy.

Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said “the energy strategy from the federal government fails to deliver certainty to SMEs that are already being crushed by rising power bills”.

“There’s no sign of any progressive energy-related tax reform for business from this government,” Mr Hunter said.

“The least they could do is invest in helping small and family businesses manage and reduce their electricity bills to make the best choices for the green energy transition. 

“Business needs crucial support that provides tailored and clear advice on real energy cost reduction policies to help manage the challenging transition to a net zero economy. None of this was evident in the plan announced Friday last week.

“Rising energy costs have been amongst the top three business cost concerns in our quarterly survey since the start of 2023.

“Business NSW had long called for a clear roadmap and sensible policies to allow our businesses and investors to keep jobs, innovation and manufacturing in Australia.” 

Business NSW has reiterated its call for an expansion of programs to help business transition to new technologies. It has also called for focus on real certainty in the domestic gas market to keep manufacturing and process industries in our country.

Domestic gas could bring flexibility, resilience and downward cost pressures during the decades of transition ahead.

“We need a well understood energy pathway for SMEs,” Mr Hunter said.

“We must avoid the rise of unnecessary green tape and we need the government to realise that every energy hike in Australia only powers domestic job losses and accelerated off-shoring of our vital industries.

“During this energy transition the needs of small and medium sized business must be top of mind. To do anything else would be a disservice to our community.”