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Rewiring Australia calls for ‘universal household electrification finance’ for Net Zero

BUDGET REACTION – The Rewiring Australia organisation has applauded the 2024 Federal Budget’s stepping up its approach to achieving Net Zero, but is calling for a ‘next step’ approach through ‘universal household electrification finance’.

“The Federal Budget includes important commitments to build clean energy manufacturing, reform its energy market and improve the nation’s electrical skill base, critical steps towards universal electrification of the nation’s homes, according to Rewiring Australia chief scientist and co-founder, Saul Griffith.

“Australia needs to massively expand its pool of electricians and energy workers so they can install solar, storage and electric appliances on millions of homes and build renewable energy on the grid,” Dr Griffith said.  

“The government’s $91 million commitment to accelerate the development of a clean energy workforce is vital and overdue.

“The Future Made in Australia announcements of $22.7 billion to create clean energy industries are important for the economy and climate. As we saw during the COVID crisis, every advanced nation needs to make a range of essential products, and for decades to come,” Dr Griffith said.

“It makes sense to invest in Australian manufacturing in industries where we have a competitive advantage, like green minerals and metals. Investment should focus on providing the capital to startups and disruptors, and educational reform investing in disruptors and university research.”

Rewiring Australia executive director, Dan Cass said, “The next step on Australia’s journey to Net Zero is for the Australian Government to create a low-cost loan scheme for the millions of Australians who cannot afford the up-front investment to ditch expensive gas and petrol for cheap and healthy solar, EVs and electric appliances.

“This will be central to any credible climate policy at the next election and has unparalleled support across the political spectrum and broader community.”

Rewiring Australia was confident of further progress towards electrification in the coming months, according to Mr Cass.

“The government must open up electricity markets to competition from households, so they can generate, store and sell the solar electricity they harvest on an equal footing with the energy giants,” Mr Cass said. “By pledging $27.7 million to better integrate community energy resources into the grid the Federal Government will help reduce the cost of the transition for households.

“After this budget we will continue to work with the government to bring households to the centre of energy and climate policy,” he said. 

“That is the fastest, most cost effective way to reduce energy bills and help households move off dirt, fossil fuel gas onto cleaner, cheaper solar-generated electricity.”

Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan organisation dedicated to representing the people, households and communities in the energy system. The organisation organisation aims to empirically demonstrate and communicate the cost savings, emissions reductions and energy system benefits of electrification across Australia. It was founded by Saul Griffith and Dan Cass.

www.rewiringaustralia.org

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Engineers Australia: Is Budget the blueprint for a smarter, greener Australia?

BUDGET REACTION – Engineers Australia CEO, Romilly Madew AO said the Budget announcement of the Future Made in Australia is the first “true generational plan” to tackle Australia’s energy transition head on.

“The Federal Budget sets an ambitious and forward-thinking plan that focuses on skills, innovation, sovereign capability, and the global energy transition—a direction supported by Engineers Australia,” Ms Madew said. 

“Engineers will be instrumental in advancing an agenda designed to tackle the financial, workforce, environmental, and global challenges we currently face.

“Unleashing the engineering workforce right across industry, boosting engineering skills in government, and investing in more engineering research and development are the keys to creating the innovation and value-add that the government is seeking.” 

Ms Madew said Engineers Australia had been advocating for this kind of seismic shift in Australia’s approach for many years.

A Future Made in Australia

“The Future Made in Australia framework is our first true generational plan to tackle the energy transition head-on,” Ms Madew said.

“We’re moving from market-led decisions to strategic investments, leveraging our natural advantages keep competitive and sustainable. This isn’t just about going green, it’s about making it economically viable on a global scale.

“Engineers Australia supports Federal Budget funding announcements to accelerate the transition to net zero through support for solar, hydrogen, critical minerals, and batteries.  Clean hydrogen is the Swiss Army Knife of energy transition, thanks to its versatility across the transport, industry, and power sectors.

“By establishing a robust regulatory and policy framework, and by securing necessary funding for research, development, and commercialisation, we can fully unlock and leverage hydrogen’s vast potential within Australia’s economy.”

“With the new Commonwealth Prac Payment, students in key fields like teaching, midwifery, and social work now get $319.50 a week during their practical placements. Given our shortage of engineers, the government must extend this support to engineering students too. If we truly want a smarter future, we need to make it easier for aspiring engineers to support themselves and their families as they prepare to drive Australia’s progress,” she said.

“We are pleased with the budget’s focus on tackling workforce shortages, implementing initiatives from the Universities Accord, boosting STEM skills, and supporting women. It’s clear we urgently need to upskill our workforce to handle the energy transition, enhance our manufacturing, and beef up our digital capabilities. To stay competitive globally, we must embrace a future where continuous learning and quick adaptation are key to Australian engineering.”

Sustainable future

Ms Madew pointed out that so much of the forward-looking approach underpinning the 2024 Federal Budget relied upon Australia’s current and future engineering capability.

“The transition to clean energy is one of the most critical issues we face,” Ms Madew said. “While we appreciate the climate-focused initiatives in the budget, we need to significantly boost engineering innovation to fast-track our shift towards a sustainable economy.

“It’s crucial we develop a detailed, collaborative plan for long-term infrastructure to ensure our economic prosperity. We urge governments at all levels to commit to continuous improvement through best-practice governance, planning, procurement, and delivery.”

Defence

Modern national security requires a priority on innovative engineering, according to Engineers Australia.

“Engineers Australia supports the strategic investments in Defence in line with the priorities outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy,” Ms Madew said. “The investment in the Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) is crucial to support the skills essential for the successful implementation of AUKUS, including specialised funding for the School Pathways Program. 

“Engineers play a pivotal role in embedding robust defence measures to safeguard national security. For the success of Australia’s Defence Force and to deliver on AUKUS, it is crucial we have the engineers we need and consistently integrate the engineering perspective throughout project lifecycles.”

Innovative future with careful AI approach

The Future Made in Australia innovation funding and regulatory oversight proposals in the Federal Budget are timely and vital, according to Engineers Australia.

“This new funding boost is a significant step forward for artificial intelligence (AI) in Australia, reinforcing industry confidence through enhanced policies and regulations,” Ms Madew said.

“It is encouraging to see investments not only in the adoption of AI but also in the establishment of an AI advisory body.

“Engineers Australia has advocated for such a body, which will foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government to drive the research and development of AI technologies that are both ethical and responsible.”

www.engineersaustralia.org.au

 

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‘A bucket full of shiny things won’t displace a barrel full of pain’ says SPA

BUDGET REACTION – The Federal Budget “attempts to appease struggling households with a few hand-outs, while maintaining the underlying drivers of per capita recession” according to Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) president Peter Strachan.

“The main reason Australia’s post-Covid inflation is more persistent than in other developed countries is our run-away population growth, sending rents and building costs skyrocketing,” Mr Strachan said.

He said the Federal Treasury “still relies on mass immigration to pump up GDP and balance the budget, without a thought for the costs it imposes on households and other levels of government, let alone the obvious environmental impacts”.

“Between state and local governments and utilities, each additional resident costs upwards of $130,000 in public infrastructure, then there are ongoing costs for healthcare and children’s education, that are not met by the quantum of tax generated,” Mr Strachan said. 

“The Albanese government has promised to reduce net migration to pre-pandemic levels but keeps taking actions that increase it. Only a reduction in student numbers will allow a sustainable improvement in housing affordability.

“Pre-pandemic immigration levels are still far too high, more than twice the average intake before 2005. The high-immigration experiment has been running for 20 years. It’s time to admit that it hasn’t worked. It hasn’t fixed skills shortages, it made them worse. If not for the mining boom our balance of trade would be tanking with all the extra imports needed to build and fit out houses.

“Population growth has flattened vast areas of natural habitat, made our cities dependent on desalinated water, and is making it much harder to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Australians can see their quality of life going backwards,” Mr Strachan said.

“The vast majority of Australians don’t want more population growth. It is time their voices were heard and heeded.”

www.population.org.au

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QEC welcomes Federal Budget critical minerals and exploration initiatives

BUDGET REACTION - The Queensland Exploration Council (QEC) has welcomed exploration-focused initiatives, announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, that will support critical minerals exploration in Queensland.

QEC chair, Kim Wainwright said the $7 billion allocation for a 10 percent production tax credit over the decade from 2027-28 was encouraging for critical mineral explorers to progress to production.

“Queensland's vast endowment of critical minerals, like rare earth elements, cobalt, titanium, vanadium and silica, lays a solid foundation towards advancing clean energy technologies worldwide,” Ms Wainwright said. 

“Recognising the pivotal role of critical minerals in shaping A Future Made in Australia, the Australian Government’s initiative is welcome, and I look forward to seeing critical minerals production increase over the decade.

Ms Wainwright said the additional announcement on the allocation of funds for pre-feasibility studies for common-user processing facilities and a critical minerals trade enhancement initiative underscored the Federal Government’s stance in positioning Australia as a critical minerals leader.

“The crucial component to complete the puzzle is the essential infrastructure across the supply chain for critical minerals processing here in Queensland,” Ms Wainwright said.

“We’ve witnessed a notable success story in Queensland with the common-user vanadium processing facility in Townsville, originally announced in 2021. However, to further advance our capabilities, we need additional facilities in Queensland, particularly in the North West Minerals Province.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive officer, Janette Hewson said the Federal Budget’s $566 million funding to Geoscience Australia over the next 10 years towards the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity program, heralded a new era of comprehensive mapping and exploration efforts.

“Through in-depth analysis of highly prospective regions, critical minerals, groundwater reservoirs, and resources essential for our transition to a lower emissions future, this initiative lays the groundwork for sustained prosperity and innovation,” Ms Hewson said.

QEC’s Kim Wainwright said Queensland continued to play a pivotal role in Australia’s exploration landscape.

“QEC stands ready to collaborate with stakeholders to harness the full potential of these initiatives,” Ms Wainwright said. 

www.qrc.org.au

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Builders encourage both parties to ‘solve the problems’

BUDGET REACTION – Building enough homes for all Australians is again at the centre of Federal policy decisions, with the Opposition’s Budget reply acknowledging the critical importance of addressing housing supply challenges, said Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

“To solve the housing crisis, we need to see action beyond the housing portfolio with skills, migration, infrastructure, industrial relations, defence, social services, and industry portfolios pulling in the same direction,” Ms Wawn said.

“Builders applaud the Opposition for calling out the damaging impacts of recent industrial relations reforms and commitment to remove this complex legislation and provide more certainty for business.

“The Government’s recent industrial relations legislation ultimately make home building more expensive and blow out supporting infrastructure projects.

“Recent modelling found under a best-case scenario, new industrial relations laws will see at least 15,000 fewer homes and almost 8,000 fewer jobs and cost the economy over $113 billion over the next five years,” Ms Wawn said. 

“Master Builders welcomes the Opposition’s decision to extend and expand the instant asset write-off for small business to $30,000, $10,000 more than the Government’s policy but more support is needed.

“The viability of the building and construction industry remains key to bringing down inflation and boosting economic growth.

“We must reduce the time it takes to build and minimise increasing construction cost blowouts in infrastructure, commercial and housing projects. These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers or taxpayers.

“We know higher than anticipated migration levels have exacerbated an already constrained housing system, but the Opposition has rightfully not shut the door on the very tradies we need to build more homes.

“The industry needs half a million new workers over the next three to five years which we cannot fill domestically alone - skilled migration represents a vital piece of the puzzle,” Ms Wawn said.

“Both major parties have this week committed to ensuring Australia is an attractive destination for skilled migrant tradies.

“With considerable numbers of older workers retiring from the construction industry each week, the pressure to replace their decades of experience and upskilling is considerable.

“We welcome incentives to encourage older workers back into the workforce without reducing pension payments.

“As we gear up for the Federal Election, both major parties are now on notice to produce a plan to ensure that all policy levers are being pulled in the same direction to strengthen the industry and boost housing supply,” Ms Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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FSC ticks Budget’s lean into long-term plan for financial services

BUDGET REACTION - The Financial Services Council (FSC) has welcomed the Federal Government focusing on its long-term plan for financial services and the investment community with a ‘no surprises’ Budget for the sector.

According to the FSC, the Federal Budget recognised the important role investors play in supporting Australia’s economic growth, outlining a ‘single front door’ strategy for major investors, and a central role for the financial services sector in the government’s Sustainable Finance Policy Agenda.

The FSC welcomed the ‘front door’ strategy and the government’s commitment to consult on how it can facilitate investments, along with the new funding for a product labelling regime for investment products, issuing green bonds, and developing a regulatory framework that complements international frameworks. 

FSC CEO Blake Briggs said, “Australia’s investment community is key to the transition to a low-carbon economy and the Federal Budget recognises the importance of developing an internationally aligned regulatory regime and a clear investment product labelling framework.”

The government confirmed industry-supported reforms to superannuation to back Australians who take paid parental leave (PPL) by paying superannuation on the Federal Government PPL scheme from July 1, 2025.

“We congratulate the government on moving forward with its paid parental leave scheme which would increase the financial security and wellbeing of Australian women, who retire with 25 percent less superannuation than men,” Mr Briggs said.

The Budget also introduced a streamlined foreign investment framework, reducing the regulatory burden on trusted international investors.

“The FSC supports reforms to simplify and streamline foreign investment in Australia and the Treasurer’s plan to exempt low risk interfunding transactions from Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) applications and fees,” Mr Briggs said.

“We also welcome the announcement that investors with a proven track record will be provided with a fast-tracked FIRB approval process. These measures will lower the regulatory burden for global investors and ultimately mean lower costs for Australians who invest in those funds.”

While the FSC supported the measures, Mr Briggs said there was more than could be done to capitalise on growth in the Australian financial services industry.

“There are significant opportunities for Australia to become a global financial centre by implementing strategic reform to become a more attractive and competitive destination for international investment,” Mr Briggs said. 

www.fsc.org.au

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Brisbane strikes gold in taking a lead on UN Sustainable Development Goals

By Mike Sullivan at the ASIA PACIFIC CITIES SUMMIT >>

A SIGNIFICANT announcement by UN-Habitat representative Bruno Dercon, at yesterday’s Asia Pacific Cities Summit opening, was the awarding of gold level status to Brisbane City under the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals Cities Global Initiative.

Brisbane is the second city in the world to reach the gold level, which is largely about developing accurate and broad data collection on the city, in order to take action on the pathway to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed through the UN.

Cities worldwide are driving ground-level action on the SDGs and Mr Dercon said Brisbane’s gold certification was both an example and an incentive for participants at the Asia Pacitic Cities Summit to follow. More than 1200 delegates, including 118 mayors from around the world, are attending the summit, which concludes today.  

Brisbane was also the first Australian city to receive silver certification in the UN-Habitat’s Sustainable Development Goals Cities Global Initiative in 2022. 

The SDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a  global partnership brokered by the UN. The SDGs recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

Cities are at the forefront of driving sustainable development, Mr Dercon said. Cities globally are learning from each other.

Brisbane has now joined La Paz, Bolivia as one of two places in the world to attain gold level and will be the first city to submit a new generation Voluntary Local Review (VLR) to mark the city’s progress against the UN’s 17 development goals.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the UN had recognised how Brisbane City Council’s practical approach towards sustainability was not just about cutting waste and emissions but also cutting costs for Brisbane’s 1.2 million residents. 

“What this recognition from the UN really means is that Brisbane just keeps getting better,” Cr Schrinner said.

“It means the raft of measures our council team continues to undertake to keep Brisbane clean and green, to preserve our unique lifestyle and ensure we grow sustainably is working. It means our practical approach is a far better way to improve sustainability compared with the pie-in the-sky target setting we see so often from other levels of government.

“For example, we’re introducing the new Brisbane Metro, a fully-electric high-capacity mass transit system that will save 50,000 tonnes of emissions over 20 years but also get people where they want to go more efficiently.

“We’re investing in green bridges with the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge to not only remove 80,000 cars a year from our roads but deliver a long-needed connection across the river from Brisbane’s CBD.

“We’re delivering sustainable new parks like Hanlon Park in Stones Corner which not only meant an ugly century-old concrete drain was removed but delivered a great destination for families and restored a more flood-resilient natural waterway,” he said.

“And we’re doing things for households like slashing the costs of green waste recycling bins to $1 a week, making larger yellow-top recycling bins free, providing rebates for composting equipment and expanding Brisbane’s food waste recycling scheme beyond the current 30 suburbs.

“These practical measures don’t just help households cut down on waste. They help them cut down on cost.”

www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

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