Energy & Environment

How is this affecting our Region?

• Energy poverty affects 22% of households in our electorate

• Local energy bills have risen by an average of $840 in the past year

• 42% of local households rent their homes, limiting their ability to access solar benefits

• Our region contains critical habitat for 27 threatened species

What can be done?

• Provide an energy bill rebate for every household in the 2025–26 financial year

• Increase federal financial incentives for home and business electrification, solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades

• Increase federal financial incentives for community batteries so renters and low-income families can access the benefits of rooftop solar

• Strengthen national environment laws to stop all new coal and gas approvals and fossil fuel project expansions

• Commit to a target of >95% renewable energy by 2030 with clear policies to achieve this

• Strengthen policies (e.g. the Safeguard Mechanism) that prioritise genuine emissions reductions from Australia's biggest polluters

• Increase public and private investment in large-scale renewable energy, storage and grid infrastructure

• Support a domestic gas reservation scheme that does not enable new gas projects

• Do not support investing in nuclear power, extending coal power, or increasing gas use

What would it look like for us?

Our region would experience significant transformation through these energy and environmental policies.

Energy bills would be reduced by 20% within three years through renewable transition, while immediate relief would come through energy rebates benefiting 45,000 local families.

The installation of 15 community batteries would serve 7,500 households currently unable to access solar benefits, particularly important as 42% of our households are renters.

Energy upgrades to 2,500 local rental properties would reduce their energy costs by 30%. Price gouging during peak demand would be prevented, saving local consumers an estimated $3.5 million annually.

These initiatives would create 1,200 local jobs in renewable energy installation and energy efficiency upgrades.

Additionally, three community-owned renewable energy projects would be established, keeping benefits in our region, while 5,000 hectares of degraded land would be restored through the Nature Restoration Fund, protecting critical habitat for 27 threatened species in our region.