Labor Announces $2.3B Home Battery Subsidy Plan

The Australian Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has announced a $2.3 billion initiative to subsidize the cost of household batteries by 30% as part of a strategy to address both climate change and reduce living costs. This program aims to save households approximately $4,000 on battery installation and is expected to see a million new batteries installed by 2030, reducing energy bills by up to $2,300 annually. The initiative seeks to capitalize on Australia's strong uptake of solar panels, with one in three households equipped, though only one in forty currently includes a battery. The subsidy will be available from July 2025 and applies to batteries installed alongside new or existing solar panels. The program is part of a broader push to expand the small-scale renewable energy scheme, set to end in 2030, and will not be affected by other state or federal energy subsidies. Labor presents this plan as a crucial step toward delivering cost-of-living relief and advancing Australia's renewable energy infrastructure.