The carbon pricing mechanism included assistance to certain industries through the:
- Jobs and Competitiveness Program—which assisted companies that are conducting emissions-intensive and trade-exposed activities.
- Coal-fired generation assistance—which assisted highly emissions-intensive coal-fired generators to adjust to the carbon price.
Successful applicants were able to receive free carbon units, which could then be surrendered to meet their liability under the carbon price, sold back to the Clean Energy Regulator using the buy-back option or traded in the carbon market.