MEDIA RELEASE
12th of May 2026
Challenges in renewable rollout more complex and deeper than ever – AEIC Commissioner releases 2025 Annual Report
The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner’s (AEIC) 2025 Annual Report has been tabled in the Australian Parliament, highlighting the Office’s work supporting communities, industry and governments.
Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Tony Mahar describes the work of the AEIC team as being like a “fierce friend and a constructively critical voice on a hard but manageable shared challenge.”
Coming after his first full year as Commissioner, the 2025 Annual Report outlines the AEIC’s efforts to help make the energy shift smoother and fairer for everyone. This includes handling complaints from community members, advocating for better community engagement and outcomes, and providing practical on the ground feedback to industry and government organisations.
Mr Mahar said, “The challenges of the energy transition are more complex and deeper than I had ever imagined. Change of this magnitude is never going to be easy, but with commitment and good will, I hope to see communities get the opportunity to provide genuine input into the process and achieve real lasting benefits. I will continue to push for this in all of my work.”
The past year marked a very busy year for the AEIC complaints handling function, with 205 cases across more than 75 projects. The report highlights that community engagement practices remain a key concern and a noticeable increase in concerns relating to transparency and understanding of the planning processes.
“While permit applications may take many years to prepare and work through the approvals system, communities are often given only a short window to review final documents. There needs to be more assistance and resourcing for councils and communities to better engage with, and understand, these processes”, Mr Mahar said.
Throughout 2025 the Commissioner connected directly with a broad range of stakeholders, undertaking more than 400 external engagements across all states and territories. This commitment saw him on the road across the country, having meetings at kitchen tables and country halls, in cafes and offices, in energy company boardrooms and council chambers.
“Meeting with a range of stakeholders is critical to understanding what is really happening on the ground in communities. My role allows me to amplify the voice of the community and represent them when they may not have the time or means to represent themselves” Mr Mahar said. “I take their views into meetings with Ministers, government representatives, to industry forums and into my submissions to consultation processes.”
The Annual Report provides the Commissioner’s view of progress on the previous Commissioner’s 2023 Community Engagement Review which made 9 recommendations to governments on ways to improve the community experience of the renewables shift.
Mr Mahar said “There has been a lot of effort and activity on the recommendations from the Community Engagement Review, and this should be applauded. But it is way too early to say the work is done or the review’s recommendations have been achieved – there is a lot still to be done to make sure community feels like they are a key part of the energy shift, not just bystanders to it.”
Driven by a strong belief that people should be informed, heard and respected, the Commissioner and his team will continue to lift the standard of community engagement, push for greater transparency, and champion best practice across large-scale energy projects.
“My team and I remain firmly committed to standing alongside communities as the energy transition continues”, Mr Mahar said.
The 2024 Annual Report is available at: www.aeic.gov.au/publications/2025-annual-report
About the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner
The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC) is an independent non-statutory role helping to make the energy shift smoother and fairer. The Office responds to complaints, facilitates constructive direct dialogue on the issues raised, and advises on best practice for large-scale energy projects such as wind farms, solar farms, transmission lines and storage.