Queensland’s appliance cashback scheme expands to small and medium businesses

The Premier will today announce an expansion of a cashback scheme that will allow small and medium businesses to claim back up to $12,500.

Queensland small and medium businesses will be offered financial incentives to purchase energy-efficient equipment under an expansion of an existing state government cashback scheme.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, in a CEDA state of the state speech on Wednesday, will announce $16m to expand the state government’s appliance cashback scheme to Queensland’s nearly half a million small and medium businesses.

The appliances range from consumer appliances, like washing machines, televisions, and dishwashers, with 4-star energy ratings or better, to commercial refrigeration systems and lighting control systems.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will today announce an expansion of her government’s cashback scheme.

Eligible businesses can apply for a rebate of up to 50 per cent, to a maximum of $12,500, after installing energy efficient equipment.

A minimum spend of $8000 is required to receive the minimum rebate of $4000.

The scheme has been available to Queensland families, with the state government doubling the program in September to $44m, or about 80,000 applicants. About 30,000 applications have been received.

The $16m is understood to be the first phase of the cashback scheme for businesses.

Ms Palaszczuk said the state had the biggest measures to ease cost of living in the country and the government could do so because the economy is strong.

“These have already cut power bills for every Queensland household,” she said.

“Now businesses can benefit with cheaper, more energy efficient appliances which helps save on their energy bills into the future.”

According to the government the “Energy Saving and Transformation Program” is a key component of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, which was launched a year ago by Ms Palaszczuk at the same event.

The Energy and Jobs plan mentions the delivery of a program “to save businesses money on their electricity bills with the $35 million Queensland Business Energy Saving and Transformation (QBEST) program targeting small to medium sized businesses”.

“The QBEST program will deliver support for businesses to purchase energy efficient equipment, smart technology (e.g. fans, pumps, HVAC) and to implement energy management systems,” the report stated.

Other major announcements Ms Palaszczuk has made at CEDA state of the state speeches include a $2bn investment into hydrogen (2021), an economic recovery plan out of Covid-19 underpinned by a large infrastructure spend (2020) and more land for gas exploration (2019).