Overview
- Cabinet decided against a fourth round, ending the Energy Bill Relief Fund after payments scheduled through December 2025.
- The scheme delivered a universal $300 household rebate in 2024–25 with a further $150 covering July to December 2025, paid quarterly to all households and many small businesses.
- Chalmers said the Commonwealth outlay across the three rounds was almost $7 billion, with states and territories contributing about $1.5 billion.
- Media analysis attributed slower electricity price growth to the subsidies, reporting an 8.2% rise since mid‑2023 versus a projected 22.2% without them.
- Extending the rebates into 2026 was estimated to cost about $2 billion, with the Treasurer pointing to upcoming tax cuts, bulk‑billing incentives, cheaper medicines and wage gains as longer‑term relief while declining to detail other savings before the mid‑year update.