Open letter: Cut our bills for good with clean energy
A home should be somewhere you are safe, happy, and healthy. But for many people receiving lower incomes, that feels like a distant reality.
Most homes are not built to withstand the intense Australian weather conditions. And people who are already struggling to pay their energy bills cannot afford to heat or cool their home, making them sick.
Home energy upgrades like solar and electrification have the potential to permanently reduce energy bills by thousands of dollars each year, but without government intervention many members of our community with be locked out of accessing these benefits.
We're joining the Renew Australia for All campaign, of which ACOSS is a member, calling on the next federal government to permanently reduce the cost of energy bills by making home energy upgrades accessible for people who need them the most.
Add your voice to that call by signing our open letter.
To the next Federal Government of Australia,
Every Australian should have a home that’s safe and affordable to heat, cool and live in.
But that’s not the reality right now for millions of Australians, who are facing rising energy bills because they can’t access the benefits of solar, good insulation, and energy-efficient appliances to bring down their energy costs for good. Renters and tenants in public and community housing are missing out, as are many Australians who can’t afford the upfront cost of upgrading their homes.
That’s why we’re calling on the Federal Government to:
Cut power bills now with an urgent $5 billion investment to reduce the upfront cost of home energy upgrades, rooftop solar and batteries for Australians who’ve been hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.
Repower our homes by putting a minimum of $50 billion over ten years towards making every Australian home all-electric and efficient.
Create good, safe, well-paying jobs by enshrining strong labour standards and investing in good training and support for workers, tradespeople and apprentices.
Make sure the benefits are shared fairly, by targeting support to those who need it most, including renters, apartment dwellers and low-income households who have been hit hardest by the cost of living crisis and high energy bills.
Together, these measures could cut our energy bills by more than $23 billion every year.
We have a plan to make this a reality – one that’s already been backed in by more than 70 organisations, which collectively represent millions of Australians.
Now we need you to make it happen.
It’s time to Renew Australia for All.
We’re made for it. We’re up for it. Now, let’s get on with it.