Electricity, gas and internet in Australia: comparing providers and connecting

Understanding the energy market

Most of Australia has a deregulated retail energy market, which means you can choose your own electricity and gas provider rather than being assigned one. The exceptions are parts of regional Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, where a government-owned retailer is the default or only option.

When you move into a new address, electricity and gas are typically already connected. What you need to do is transfer the account into your name with a retailer of your choice. If the previous tenant left a supplier in place, you can stay with them or switch — there is no obligation to remain.

Comparing electricity and gas with Energy Made Easy

Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au) is the Australian Government’s free comparison tool for electricity and gas in the National Electricity Market (ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC). It shows actual tariff rates rather than estimated annual savings, which makes it more reliable than commercial comparison sites that earn referral commissions.

To compare:

Enter your address and distributor (the company that owns the poles and wires — different from your retailer).
Enter your estimated annual usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh), or upload a recent bill if you have one.
Compare plans by daily supply charge, usage rate (c/kWh), any controlled-load tariff and any discounts or terms.

Key things to check:

Conditional discounts — some plans advertise a discount that only applies if you pay on time every bill; the base rate without the discount matters.
Contract length and exit fees — many plans are market offer contracts with exit fees; basic (standing offer) plans have no exit fees.
Feed-in tariff — if you have solar panels, check the rate the retailer pays you for exported power.

In Victoria, the equivalent tool is Victorian Energy Compare (compare.energy.vic.gov.au).

Setting up electricity and gas

Once you have chosen a retailer:

Call or apply online — you will need your address, move-in date and a form of ID.
Provide a meter reading on your move-in date if possible, so you are only billed for energy you actually used.
Your first bill typically arrives 3 months after connection (quarterly billing is most common, though some plans offer monthly billing).

If you are moving into a new build or a property without an active connection, the process is longer — contact your retailer early as a new connection can take several business days.

Choosing an internet plan

Australia’s broadband network is primarily delivered via the National Broadband Network (NBN). Most residential addresses in urban and suburban areas are NBN-connected; the technology type (FTTP, FTTN, FTTC, HFC) affects the maximum speed available at your address.

To check what technology type and maximum speed applies at your address, use nbnco.com.au → “Check my address.”

Speed tiers — NBN plans are sold in speed tiers:

NBN 25 / NBN 50 — suitable for 1–2 people with standard streaming and browsing.
NBN 100 — the most popular tier; handles multiple simultaneous streams, video calls and working from home.
NBN 250 / NBN 1000 — for heavy users or households with many devices; only available with FTTP or HFC technology.

What to compare:

Monthly price and whether it includes a phone line.
Download and upload speed, and whether speeds are “typical evening speeds” (a regulated disclosure).
Data quota — most plans are now unlimited.
Contract length and modem costs.

Comparison sites including Finder and WhistleOut aggregate plans from most providers. Note that Telstra, Optus, TPG, Aussie Broadband, Superloop and iiNet are among the largest retailers.

Mobile plans

If you need mobile data before your home internet is connected, prepaid SIM cards from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and a range of MVNOs (e.g., Boost, Aldi Mobile, Circles.Life) are available from supermarkets, service stations and carrier stores. Prepaid plans typically include a data allowance valid for 28–365 days with no lock-in contract.