Fastest Declining Industries in Australia by Revenue Growth (%) in 2024

1. Battery Material Mining in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -51.6%

Battery material mining revenue has soared, as battery manufacturers have sought to lock in supply to meet surging demand. Rising demand for electric vehicles has led global automakers to offer a growing range of electric vehicles, particularly in China. The supply of battery materials has become increasingly tight, driving demand for Australian battery material exports. Overall, industry revenue has grown at an annualised 55.9% over the past five years, to $16.9 billion. This includes a rise of 198.6% in 2022-23, as lithium export prices skyrocket.

Several new enterprises have entered the industry by developing lithium mines in Western Australia. These firms... Learn More

2. Lithium and Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -50.2%

Spodumene concentrate (lithium ore) has become by far the dominant product in the Lithium and Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining industry over the five years through 2023-24. Spodumene concentrate is still mainly exported to China for further processing, but major mining firms have started to use it domestically to refine lithium hydroxide. Spodumene concentrate output has increased over the past five years, particularly over the three years through 2023-24. While production is growing strongly, surging demand is behind the largely price-driven growth, as strong demand from the Chinese electric vehicle market and lithium stockpiling is prompting a spike in world prices.... Learn More

3. Grain Growing in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -37.1%

Grain growing in Australia is export-oriented and produces wheat, barley, canola, other grains and oilseeds. Revenue has fluctuated over the past five years, due to volatile weather conditions, global grain prices and crop supplies. Revenue is expected to grow at an annual average rate of 17.3% over the five years through 2022-23, to reach an estimated $27.7 billion. As Russia is a major producer of fertiliser, a key industry input, its price has significantly risen in 2021-22 due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Industry profitability has therefore fallen over the period as purchase costs have increased. However, higher output volumes due... Learn More

4. Hydro-Electricity Generation in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -33.4%

Hydro generators are dealing with volatile global and domestic energy markets, which are compelling regulators and governments to step in and stabilise the National Electricity Market (NEM) to ensure a stable electricity supply. Surging input costs are elevating wholesale prices, bolstering hydro generators' profit margins as they don't face the significant coal and gas input costs plaguing other generators. Although hydro technologies are avoiding steep input costs, they are still fighting fluctuating year-to-year weather events, like the La Nina conditions sweeping the eastern coast in recent years. Industry revenue is expected to decline at an annualised 1.9% over five years... Learn More

5. Nickel Ore Mining in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -32.7%

Nickel ore miners faced generally positive operating conditions over the past five years, with strong pricing growth and demand being partly offset by output declines. Most nickel ore mined in Australia is processed locally into nickel concentrate by downstream smelting and refining firms, or by nickel ore mining companies that also operate their own smelters and refineries. All nickel ore mined by the industry is from Western Australia. Infrastructure projects and the production of nickel-based stainless steel goods in China drove global demand for nickel over the past five years. These factors positively affected Australian nickel exports, with domestic demand... Learn More

6. Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -29.9%

Grain-sheep or grain-beef cattle farms are farms that either farm sheep and grow grains, or farm beef cattle and grow grains, but not both. Farmers sell livestock to meat processors, other farms and feedlots, and sell wool and livestock to wholesalers, processors and exporters. Grain-sheep and grain-beef cattle farmers' performance has been volatile over the past five years, as fluctuations in annual rainfall have significantly influenced output. In addition, diplomatic tensions with China over the past three years have led to various trade barriers being imposed on a variety of agricultural products, including barley and beef. Overall, industry revenue is... Learn More

7. Fossil Fuel Electricity Generation in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -29.4%

Fossil fuel generators supply most of Australia's electricity, as coal is the central fuel powering Australia. These generators supply electricity through wholesale markets, which is then retailed to consumers and businesses. These generators also supply electricity directly to energy-intensive industries. Power plants run on black coal, brown coal, natural gas and diesel. Black and brown coal-fired power stations are often run continuously to provide baseload power, while natural gas stations can be fired up quickly to provide peaking power during demand spikes.

In a reversal of recent trends, wholesale electricity prices are surging, providing a much-needed reprieve for the embattled fossil... Learn More

8. Coal Mining in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -28.0%

Coal is a key input in steelmaking and energy generation. Although coal deposits are found all over the world, Australia is one of the world's lowest cost producers and a major coal exporter. Domestic reserves exceed domestic demand, are high grade and economical to access. As a result, exports account for a large share of coal mining revenue. Imports are negligible, as local production is higher than domestic demand for coal. Black coal mining accounts for most activity, with some brown coal used domestically for electricity generation in Victoria.

Coal mining revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 14.6% over... Learn More

9. Cereal Grain Wholesaling in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -25.8%

Grain is one of Australia's most valuable agricultural products. Operators in the Cereal Grain Wholesaling industry play a major role in distributing grain from farmers to domestic and international end markets. Revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 6.8% over the five years through 2023-24 to an estimated $31.6 billion. This trend includes an expected decline of 27.9%% in 2023-24 as rainfall is likely to plummet. In response to volatile production volumes, profitability is expected to fluctuate over the five years through 2023-24. However, improved downstream demand and record-high prices have allowed many wholesaling services to grow their profit... Learn More

10. Wind and Other Electricity Generation in Australia

2024-2025 Revenue Growth: -25.1%

Australia is facing a fundamental rewiring of its electricity markets. As consumers, investors and government clamour for more renewable generation, large-scale wind power is receiving an influx of capacity investment. Windy states, like South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, are producing more of their electricity from renewable sources. Other smaller forms of renewable generation, like biomass, tidal and geothermal generation, have taken a back seat.

The Federal Government's Renewable Energy Target lets eligible generators sell Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) – creating another income source that has justified ongoing investment in new wind power projects. Although LGC prices are sliding down... Learn More