This is Smarta Switch’s July 2026 update on the Brisbane and South East Queensland business energy market.
It uses the latest complete quarterly market report available from the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Australian Energy Regulator’s final 2026-27 Default Market Offer. It does not publish a made-up league table of retailers, because the best result for a cafe can be different from the best result for a warehouse using ten times as much electricity.
The short version
- The new South East Queensland small-business Default Market Offer took effect on 1 July 2026.
- The AER says the flat-rate small-business standing-offer comparison price fell 10.4%, while the time-of-use comparison fell 14.0%.
- AEMO reported Queensland’s Q1 2026 wholesale spot-price average at $65/MWh, down 27% from Q1 2025.
- AEMO reported east coast wholesale gas averaging $10.61/GJ in Q1 2026, below both Q1 2025 and Q4 2025.
- Those wholesale and default-price movements do not automatically tell you what a particular commercial contract should cost.
The practical move is to check your current plan type and contract dates, then compare offers against the same 12 months of usage and demand data.
South East Queensland small-business default prices from 1 July 2026
The Australian Energy Regulator’s final 2026-27 decision reduced small-business Default Market Offer prices across South East Queensland.
For the Energex distribution area, the AER publishes these annual comparison prices based on 10,000 kWh of usage:
| Small-business comparison | 2026-27 annual price | Change from 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Flat-rate standing offer | $3,849 | Down 10.4%, or $445 |
| Time-of-use and other non-regulated tariffs | $3,693 | Down 14.0%, or $601 |
Source: AER Default Market Offer prices.
What the Default Market Offer does and does not mean
The DMO is the maximum price a retailer can charge an eligible residential or small-business customer on a standing offer. It is also the reference price retailers use when advertising market offers in South East Queensland.
It is not:
- a cap on your total annual bill;
- a guaranteed price for every business;
- a benchmark for large commercial and industrial contracts;
- proof that your existing market contract fell by the same percentage.
Your actual cost still depends on consumption, tariff, supply charge, demand, metering, contract terms and other bill components. The AER also notes that the DMO may not be the cheapest plan available.
A useful first check
Look at the plan name on your bill or ask the retailer whether you are on a standing offer or a market offer. If you are an eligible small business and your standing-offer price is above the current DMO, ask the retailer to explain the account immediately.
For generally available small-business plans, the government-run Energy Made Easy service is a useful independent comparison point.
Queensland wholesale electricity in the latest complete quarter
As at 21 July 2026, AEMO’s latest complete Quarterly Energy Dynamics publication covers January to March 2026.
AEMO reported that:
- Queensland’s time-weighted wholesale spot-price average was $65/MWh in Q1 2026;
- that was 27% lower than Q1 2025;
- the NEM-wide average was $73/MWh;
- the NEM-wide quarterly average increased from Q4 2025, despite being lower year on year;
- combined battery charging and discharging set NEM prices in 32% of intervals.
AEMO said increased battery participation reduced reliance on gas and hydro during evening peaks. That is useful evidence of how the market is changing, but it does not make every retail quote cheaper immediately.
Why your retail contract will not match the spot price
A retail business price can include:
- wholesale energy and hedging costs;
- network charges;
- environmental scheme costs;
- metering and market fees;
- load-shape and volume risk;
- retailer operating costs and margin;
- contract-specific demand and price-change terms.
This is why a $65/MWh quarterly spot average is not the same as paying 6.5 cents per kWh on a business bill. A retailer is pricing future risk and a specific customer profile, not simply passing through one historical quarterly average.
East coast gas conditions
AEMO’s Q1 2026 report recorded an east coast wholesale gas average of $10.61/GJ. That was below:
- $13.26/GJ in Q1 2025; and
- $12.68/GJ in Q4 2025.
March 2026 averaged $9.22/GJ, which AEMO described as a four-year low. Lower gas-fired generation demand was one of the factors affecting the quarter.
The broader supply picture still requires care. AEMO’s 2026 Gas Statement of Opportunities says near-term supply adequacy improved to 2029 due to increased supply capability, infrastructure investment and lower consumption forecasts. AEMO also says new investment is required from 2030 onwards.
For a Brisbane business, that means one quarter of lower wholesale gas prices is useful context, not a reason to assume every renewal should fall. Site volume, capacity, network, start date and contract length still determine the quote.
Which retailer is best for a Brisbane business?
There is no evidence-based way to name one permanent winner.
A proper comparison needs to answer:
- Which retailers can quote this customer class and network area?
- Which offers use the same annual consumption and load assumptions?
- What is the full annual cost, including supply and demand charges?
- Is the energy rate fixed, stepped or able to change during the term?
- What happens at expiry, cancellation or a major change in usage?
- How is the broker paid, if a broker is involved?
A retailer that is competitive for a low-usage shop can be uncompetitive for a demand-billed manufacturer. Static “best retailer” lists usually ignore that distinction.
For more detail, use our nine-point business electricity quote checklist.
What Brisbane businesses should do now
If you are on a standing offer
- Compare the account against the new 2026-27 DMO.
- Check generally available offers through Energy Made Easy.
- Ask the current retailer for a written market offer.
- Compare annual cost and terms, not only the advertised discount.
If your market contract ends within 120 days
- Confirm the exact end date and any notice requirement.
- Collect a full 12 months of bills.
- Request interval data if the site has a smart or interval meter.
- Compare renewal and competing offers on the same usage profile.
- Finish the review before the contract can roll onto an out-of-term price.
Use our 90-day business energy renewal checklist to organise the process.
If you are a larger C&I customer
Do not use the small-business DMO as a procurement benchmark. Build a tender around measured load, forecast changes, contract risk, environmental requirements and the retailers genuinely able to serve the site.
See our commercial and industrial energy procurement guide for the complete process.
What we will watch in the next update
The next refresh will check:
- AEMO’s Q2 2026 Quarterly Energy Dynamics report when published;
- changes in Queensland wholesale and contract-market data;
- AER updates to market and network information;
- the practical effect of the new DMO on generally available SEQ small-business offers;
- any material change in east coast gas supply or pricing conditions.
We will only name retailer-specific movements when there is current, comparable evidence behind the statement.
Sources and methodology
Primary sources used for this July 2026 update:
- AER final Default Market Offer 2026-27 announcement
- AER current Default Market Offer prices
- AEMO Quarterly Energy Dynamics, Q1 2026
- AEMO 2026 Gas Statement of Opportunities summary
Smarta Switch has separated wholesale-market facts, regulated small-business comparison prices and practical procurement commentary. They are related, but they are not interchangeable.
If you want the current numbers checked against your actual business bill, upload the bill or email hello@smartaswitch.com.au. We will compare the account using its real usage, tariff and contract position rather than a generic market average.
Joe Lawrence, Co-founder, Smarta Switch Australia