DCCEEW - Letter to the AER requesting updates to the energy bill relief message - 5 June 2024

28 June 2024

On 5 June 2024, the AER received a request from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for the AER to consider exercising its powers under section 37 of the Better Bills Guideline to amend the four existing Tier 1 energy bill relief statements to a single proposed statement, which would apply to both residential and small business customers.

On 28 June 2024, the AER decided not to amend its previous 10 August 2023 decision (as previously amended on 27 September 2023) made under section 37 of the Better Bills Guideline (Version 2) in line with this request. 

However, the AER has made other amendments to this decision in response to changes to the National Energy Retail Law (Queensland) Amendment Regulation 2024.

The amended decision:

• removes the statement previously required on electricity bills for small customers in Queensland other than residential customers
• requires retailers selling electricity in Queensland to use their best endeavours to include a statement on electricity bills for all small customers which is consistent with the message required in South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania (with the exception of Icon Retail Investments Limited and AGL ACT Retail Investments Pty Ltd, trading as ActewAGL Retail)
• retains the existing statements required on small customers’ electricity bills in South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and the ACT, including the existing statement required on the electricity bills of small customers of ActewAGL.

The amended decision is set out in a letter to retailers dated 1 July 2024.

19 June 2025

On 6 June 2025, the AER received a request from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water requesting that the AER retain the Tier 1 energy bill relief information outlined in our 28 June 2024 decision as set out in our letter to retailers dated 1 July 2024. 

On 19 June 2025, the AER wrote to retailers to confirm that the existing obligations set out in our 1 July 2024 letter to retailers will continue to apply until revoked by the AER. Retailers must continue to include the specified messages on relevant small customers’ electricity bills in line with the amended decision made under section 37 of the Better Bills Guideline and advised to retailers on 1 July 2024.

In this letter, we also confirmed that if the Queensland regulations cease to require retailers to use their best endeavours to include a separate message, we expect retailers to include the AER’s message as set out in our 1 July 2024 letter where relevant.