Industries with Least Riskiest Business Environments in Australia in 2026

• 1. Solar Electricity Generation in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 3

  As Australia looks to a cleaner future, solar power offers a bright alternative to emissions-intensive fossil fuels. Advances in solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies have made solar commercially viable, with China manufacturing most of the world's solar panels. In contrast to small-scale solar, which is covering more Australian homes than ever before, the utility-scale market remains relatively untapped. Buoyed by public sector support, private capital is now flooding into new solar projects ...

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• 2. Multi-Unit Apartment and Townhouse Construction in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 3

  The industry is benefiting from a long-term shift in dwelling preferences away from traditional single-unit houses and towards higher density apartments and townhouses. Still, this trend reversed during a surge in single-unit house construction under the Federal Government's HomeBuilder scheme and a slump in multi-unit dwelling investment to a cyclical low in 2021-22 as multi-unit dwelling commencements plunged 34.9% over the two years to 2019-20. The sharp contraction in multi-unit dwelling ...

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• 3. Forestry Support Services in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 3

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• 4. Forestry and Logging in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 3

  The Forestry and Logging industry has faced challenging conditions. A sharp downturn in residential construction over recent years has significantly weakened domestic timber demand. The failure to meet new housing targets, rising construction costs and builder insolvencies have all contributed to delayed projects and dampened confidence, directly softening timber consumption. Along with weak demand, stricter regulations on native forest harvesting, the lingering effects of catastrophic bushfi...

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• 5. Satellite Communications and Astronautics in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 3

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• 6. Intellectual Property Leasing in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 4

  Intellectual property (IP) leasing firms lease their patents, trademarks, spectrum and other intangible property to businesses for payment. Climbing demand from downstream sectors, like professional, scientific and technical services and financial services firms, has buoyed industry performance in recent years. Industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 1.6% over the five years through 2024-25, to $4.5 billion. Historically, over three-quarters of the industry's enterprises have be...

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• 7. Log Sawmilling in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 4

  The Log Sawmilling industry has faced challenging conditions over the past few years. Various factors have weighed on industry revenue, including the adverse effects of COVID-19, weaker demand for timber products in the building construction markets and production bottlenecks for hardwood sawmillers. Nonetheless, new wood-based building products with broader applications have supported log sawmilling businesses by boosting their products' competitiveness over steel and other substitute buildi...

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• 8. Software Testing Services in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 4

  The industry is continuing to grow as rapid advances in cloud computing, mobile technology and AI redefine how businesses and consumers interact with software. Furthermore, cybersecurity incidents involving leading health and finance organisations over the past five years have placed a premium on rigorous testing, especially for data protection and regulatory compliance. As a result, testing now routinely extends to risk management and system reliability, not just core software functionality....

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• 9. Organic Crop Farming in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 4

  The Organic Crop Farming industry has benefited from strong growth in consumer demand for organic food. Once considered an alternative food eaten only by a minority of the population, organic produce has become increasingly common in consumer diets and retail stores. Organic fruits and vegetables are often perceived to be healthier than their conventionally farmed counterparts thanks to the absence of synthetic chemicals, genetic modification, pesticides and fertilisers in their production. R...

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• 10. Online Education in Australia

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 4

  Advancements in technology and broader internet access have transformed online education into an appealing and feasible option for both learning and career progression. The pandemic accelerated this trend, as social distancing measures forced many educational institutions to shift their offerings online. This greater adoption has supported online education revenue, which is expected to surge at an annualised rate of 5.4% over the five years through 2024-25, reaching an estimated total of $12....

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