{"id":"F2019L00497","name":"Industry Research and Development (Business Energy Advice Program) Instrument 2019","slug":"industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":440014,"registerId":"F2019L00497-fast-fetch-1775955815161","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Industry Research and Development (Business Energy Advice Program) Instrument 2019","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nIndustry Research and Development (Business Energy Advice Program) Instrument 2019\n\nI, Angus Taylor, as delegate of the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, make the following instrument.\n\nDated 25 March 2019\n\nAngus Taylor\n\nMinister for Energy\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Definitions\n\n5 Prescribed program\n\n6 Specified legislative power\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Industry Research and Development (Business Energy Advice Program) Instrument 2019.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered. 2 April 2019\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\nprogram means the Business Energy Advice Program.\n\n5  Prescribed program\n\n (1) For the purposes of subsection 33(1) of the Act, the program is prescribed.\n\n (2) The program provides funding to support:\n\n (a) service providers to advise small businesses in relation to the following:\n\n (i) energy efficiency opportunities available to those businesses;\n\n (ii) the selection of energy retailers to provide services to those businesses;\n\n (iii) using internet tools relating to the matters mentioned in subparagraphs (i) and (ii); and\n\n (b) the development of an online energy benchmarking tool that will assist small businesses to measure their energy efficiency performance against other businesses.\n\n (3) The purpose of the program is to assist small businesses:\n\n (a) to identify and implement energy efficiency measures; and\n\n (b) to reduce energy use and costs; and\n\n (c) to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.\n\n6  Specified legislative power\n\n  For the purposes of subsection 33(3) of the Act, the powers of the Parliament to make laws with respect to the following are specified:\n\n (a) postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services (within the meaning of paragraph 51(v) of the Constitution);\n\n (b) external affairs (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xxix) of the Constitution) as it relates to measures that would assist Australia to meet its obligations under one or more of the following:\n\n (i) the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, particularly Articles 4 and 6;\n\n (ii) the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, particularly Articles 3 and 10;\n\n (iii) the Paris Agreement, particularly Articles 4 and 12.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not expand or narrow the Act; it prescribes the Business Energy Advice Program and identifies its funding scope and legal bases (see section 5 and section 6). It sets program purposes and funding categories but leaves implementation and detailed eligibility to administrative arrangements, so no change in statutory scope from the Act is effected by this instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Straightforward prescription of a single program and funding objectives (section 5).","References the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 as authority (section 3), requiring alignment with that Act's s33 processes.","Specifies constitutional legal bases including postal/communication powers and external affairs linked to international agreements (section 6), which raises legal-basis complexity.","Minimal operational detail about grant rules, eligibility, or administration—implementation depends on subsequent administrative instruments or contracts.","Targets commercial actors (small businesses and service providers), creating cross-sector interactions but limited regulatory layering within the instrument itself."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument formally prescribes the Business Energy Advice Program and authorises Commonwealth funding to deliver it. It funds service providers to advise small businesses on energy‑efficiency opportunities, choosing energy retailers and using online tools, and to develop an online benchmarking tool.\n\nThe stated purpose is to help small businesses identify and implement energy‑efficiency measures, reduce energy use and costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The instrument sets what the program will fund and the legal bases relied on to do so."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains tightly focused on its original purpose: establishing a specific energy advice program for small businesses. There is no evidence of scope creep or expansion beyond the initial policy intent."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (6 sections, approximately 1 page)","Only 2 defined terms ('Act' and 'program')","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling Act","Simple structure with no conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Straightforward purpose and operation with minimal legal machinery"],"plain_english_summary":"The instrument establishes the Business Energy Advice Program to help small businesses cut energy costs and emissions by funding service providers to give tailored efficiency and retailer‑choice advice and by funding an online benchmarking tool for comparing energy use. It targets small businesses that lack in‑house expertise, aiming to reduce bills and support Australia’s climate commitments. Made by Angus Taylor under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019","history":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019/history","analysis":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-business-energy-advice-program-instrument-2019/documents"}}