Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Since I was first elected, in 2019, I have sought to understand the needs of communities across my electorate and to come together to craft solutions—practical solutions—that address the problems we face. It's why I am so glad to speak today on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 and related bills, and, specifically, to address the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. These bills, in total, provide $415 million for the first year of the program. This program is, indeed, long overdue but welcomed by communities across Indi and right across Australia.

Australian households are the world's most enthusiastic generators of solar energy. With an abundance of sunshine, we've made our roofs work for us and reduced our emissions and reliance on the energy grid. Australian households have been supported to do so by the federal government through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the SRES, which reduces the upfront cost of solar panels. This scheme was set up during the Howard years, and it was then—and continued to be, over a long period of time—a roaring success. But, of course, as we frequently hear, the sun isn't always shining, and we know feed-in tariffs are not what they used to be.

Until recently, despite the benefits, installing a household battery to complement the solar panels was financially out of reach for most Australians. This is where the $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program comes in. The program is simple in design but powerful in its impact. It works by extending the existing SRES to include home batteries. Small-scale batteries are now eligible for an upfront discount of around 30 per cent. This is not a loan or a rebate paid later. This is a point-of-sale discount applied directly by the installer. The Clean Energy Regulator will oversee the program, issuing small-scale energy certificates just as it does with solar panels.

For a typical household battery—say, a 12-kilowatt system—the saving is around $4,000, bringing the price down from roughly $13,000 to about $9,000. Larger households, small businesses or community organisations that invest in bigger batteries could see discounts of tens of thousands of dollars. Even with this program, batteries have a big upfront cost, but this program means it will take less time for the battery to pay for itself.

Solar businesses in my electorate, like Solargain in Wangaratta and Solar Integrity in Wodonga, say demand is through the roof, but, most excitingly, they tell me it's not the usual customers coming in. They tell me that the customers walking in the door are younger. They're younger couples or they're busy families who've never considered a battery up until now. They simply couldn't afford one, but, with this program, they're lining up to take control of their energy. These are exactly the people the scheme is set up to benefit—households struggling with the cost of living and the rising cost of energy. I am so glad people in my electorate are jumping at the chance to keep more of the power they generate. In fact, I'm proud to say that Indi is leading Victoria in new battery installations, proving once again that regional communities are ready to embrace the charge towards a more resilient and cleaner energy system.

I commend the government for rolling out the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, but we know that this policy didn't actually start with government. The people of Indi know that the Cheaper Home Batteries Program is actually an Indi policy. It's the outcome of years of steady work—work that began in Indi and that I carried into this parliament on behalf of the people I represent. Major political parties like to say that independents have no power, but I think this shows the absolute contrary. When you listen to people, craft practical solutions, work with government in good faith and keep at it, you can and do shape national policy.

When I was first elected in 2019, I heard from my constituents that energy security was a top priority, as was the transition to clean energy. So I got to work with this community, and, in 2020, I launched the local power plant—a blueprint to drive investment in locally owned renewables in regional Australia. It set out how locally owned renewables could thrive when government gave communities the tools they needed to succeed, and it became clear to me that we couldn't talk about local energy if we didn't talk about home batteries. This is because rooftop solar without storage is really just half a solution. Solar might generate power, but, without a battery, households are forced to sell cheaply in the day and buy back at night at a higher price. I said then that batteries are the critical link between clean energy, cheaper bills and local energy security. That simple truth shaped the home energy bill I first introduced in 2022 and again in 2023. My proposal was simple but powerful: to extend the small-scale renewable energy scheme—the same mechanism that drove rooftop solar to include home batteries. I'm very pleased that the government has done the same through a regulatory amendment to the bill I sought to amend.

During the recent election, the cost of living was, of course, a key issue. It still is. I spoke in Indi about how a home battery could help the average household take control of their energy, not only in terms of lowering their bills but addressing the issue of power blackouts or brownouts experienced by many people. The message really cut through. This was practical, sensible reform that would deliver for families, small businesses and the broader economy. My community really backed me on this one.

Finally, in April this year, with an election looming, the government acted, and, boy, is it taking off. More home batteries were installed in the first six weeks of this program than in the first six months of 2024. Just this week, we hit 40,000 batteries since July. This is public policy that is working. Reporting from last week from the Australian Conservation Foundation found that, by 2030, the increased level of solar and batteries will lift renewable energy's share of the power supply by 4.5 per cent above that estimated in AEMO's current projections. That's pretty good. I said then, and I repeat now, that this is the missing piece of the puzzle—helping households store excess solar energy and use it during peak periods instead of buying it back from the grid.

As with any scheme of this size, we must remain alert and vigilant to emerging problems in the implementation and be prepared to amend the program to ensure households are getting the right battery for their needs and to crack down on any dodgy providers seeking to take advantage of the scheme. Reputable retailers in my electorate have already told me about a rise in unsolicited marketing calls, counterfeit batteries and cowboy retailers trying to make a quick buck selling the biggest battery possible, even if it's not a good fit. The government needs to work carefully with regulators to stop this bad behaviour wherever and whenever it occurs.

The government has also signalled that households who install a battery under this scheme will be able to take part in virtual power plants, programs where thousands of small batteries are linked together to provide clean, reliable power back to the grid in times of stress. This means that the Cheaper Home Batteries Program will benefit not only households who install a battery but the wider community as well. Batteries can store excess solar power generated during the day and release it back into the community in the evening when demand and prices are highest. This eases pressure on the grid and ensures plentiful, cheap power is available after sunset. It will be essential in the transition towards a zero-emissions electricity network.

One of the most important aspects of virtual power plants is that they enhance grid resilience and strengthen our energy security. When the grid is under stress during heatwaves, bushfires or storms, virtual power plants can keep essential infrastructure and services operating for days or possibly weeks. This is something communities in my electorate know only too well, and why regional communities, like those in my electorate of Indi, recognise the transformative potential of home and community batteries.

We are really on board with this. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is not only a win for Indi but a win for the nation. It shows what democracy should look like. It shows that regional communities can and do lead the way, and that integrity and persistence in politics deliver real and practical outcomes for everyday people.

Before I conclude my remarks on these bills, I do want to note that these bills also make provision for a number of so-called election commitments made by the Labor Party during the 2025 election campaign. I want to be absolutely clear with the House: my issue is not with the projects themselves—I am sure they are excellent projects—but I do question the process through which they're being funded. One, supporting the construction of the first-ever Hindu school in Australia, is located in the electorate of Macquarie. The other, funding the restoration of South Melbourne Town Hall, is located in the electorate of Macnamara. Crucially, both electorates were key battlegrounds in the 2025 election, seen as fundamental to the Labor party's path to victory in what most expected to be a closely fought election.

This is millions of dollars in taxpayer money with no transparent process, no apparent value-for-money assessment and no clarity on whether the money would deliver a better outcome elsewhere. Instead, it seems the government is choosing to fund projects as line items in the budget. On anyone's measure, that's poor budget practice and, frankly, poor governance. All community infrastructure projects should be funded through open-access, competitive grant processes. This means every community in every corner of Australia has a chance to secure funding. It means only the most meritorious projects will be funded. It means money goes where it will make the greatest difference. It's decision-making based on community need, not on political expedience.

Allocating taxpayer funds on the basis of political interest is called pork-barrelling, and Australians think it is a form of corruption. I agree. I've fought long and hard to end the practice of pork-barrelling, not just with this government but with previous ones, because I, like most Australians, believe that taxpayer money should be spent fairly and transparently through an open process. It's why I twice introduced my end pork-barrelling bill to the previous parliament. I put this government on notice: I will continue to fight for fairer funding in this term of parliament, call out bad practices where I see them and do my utmost to make sure that hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent fairly and transparently.

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