2024-05-31
Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP has welcomed the beginning of the rollout of the $1.7 billion for household and business electrification secured by the Greens, but says the government must now accelerate the program.
The funding was secured as part of an agreement with the Greens to pass the government’s energy price cap legislation in 2022.
The first step in the rollout announced today will provide $60 million in low cost loans to households for solar, batteries, heat pumps and other appliances to help electrify homes.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP:
“This is a small start to a big win on household electrification won by the Greens, and now Labor needs to accelerate," Mr Bandt said.
“We need the rest of the $1.7 billion electrification funding secured by the Greens rolled out for renters and apartment dwellers, in public housing and for small business.
“We also need to see more funding in the Budget update in December and a much bigger program to electrify Australia. We will be pushing Labor hard on this.
“It was revealed in Senate Estimates this week that Labor’s gas strategy has no plan to reduce the demand for gas, and instead, by opening new gas mines, Labor is trying to increase demand for it. Gas is as dirty as coal, but only the Greens are trying to rapidly push us off gas onto clean energy.
“This funding will help Australia get off gas, but Labor approving more coal and gas mines is pulling in the other direction.”