Origin AGM action, Sydney, 15 October 2025
Sweltering Cities is part of the Stop the Bill Shock campaign alongside our partners the Antipoverty Centre and Parents for Climate. The Stop the Bill Shock coalition was outside the Origin AGM in Sydney on Oct 15 to call for the company to:
- use their massive profits to cancel the energy debt on their books so people can afford to keep cool this summer.
- Bring down energy bills for all by putting Origin’s profits to work to build more accessible, renewable energy like wind and solar backed up by battery storage, to bring down the cost of power generation and energy bills for all for good.
Origin Energy has reported more than $1.4 billion in profits this year (an increase of $370 million or 26% on FY 2024), while households experiencing energy hardship have increased by 40% over the same year.
Stop The Bill Shock delivered the ‘bill’ for the 89,000 households in energy debt to shareholders as they arrives at the action.
We know that people are dreading the summer and anxious about the cost of keeping cool with too many of us second guessing whether we can turn on the air con or even a fan. Energy debt is making people sick.
Jay Coonan of the Antipoverty Centre said:
“Everyone is feeling the pain of soaring energy costs, and those of us on the lowest incomes are being trapped in debt while these companies gouge us because they know we have no choice but to keep the power on.”
“We know that only 26% of people in a hardship program are able to successfully pay their energy debt off leaving the vast majority of people in a dangerous debt cycle. About 42% of people on a hardship plan have higher electricity costs in each billing period than the amount they are able to repay as part of their plan.”
Nic Seton of Parents for Climate said:
“Families are being squeezed while Origin makes billions from expensive and outdated coal and gas. Origin needs to prove it’s part of the solution by using its record profits to wipe household energy debt and invest in cheaper, cleaner power, instead of keeping parents trapped paying for the past.”
