Last night, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered his third budget speech, which included important commitments to Australia’s clean energy future. 

Rewiring Australia’s Managing Director Kate Minter and Executive Director Dan Cass were at Parliament House as Dr Chalmers delivered his speech, where commitments were made to build clean manufacturing, reform Australia’s energy market and improve the national electrical skill base. Here’s some of what was announced:

• Future Made in Australia investments of $27.7 billion over 10 years to create clean energy industries
• $27.7 million to open up electricity markets to competition so households can generate and share energy with their neighbours, in competition with the energy giants (ie “integrate Consumer Energy Resources”)

• $91 million commitment towards building the clean energy workforce, including electricians

Cost-of-living concerns were always going to be central to this budget. Today we are in Parliament House reminding the government that the most effective way to reduce energy bills is to help more households afford efficient electric appliances and an EV at least partly powered by rooftop solar. 

The next step on the journey to Net Zero is for the government to create a low-cost finance scheme for the millions of Australians who cannot afford the upfront investment to move off dirty, expensive fossil gas onto efficient, electric appliances powered by solar. We won $1.7 billion last year for electrification and the new training and reform measures are necessary complementary policies, but this is still not enough to get the job done.

We need a bold plan to ensure that no Australian households are locked out of the lower bills and health benefits electrification. 

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