Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and Labor Candidate for Braddon Anne Urquhart today announced 1,200 Tasmanian households will benefit from bill-busting energy upgrades with a new $14.6 million investment under the Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative (SHEPI), as Labor ensures all homes benefit from cheaper, cleaner power.

The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia’s future by providing further funding to see more of Tassie’s social housing refitted with cost saving energy upgrades, including solar panels, electric heat pump hot water systems and LED lighting.

Public housing homes are among the least energy efficient in Tasmania, with most built long before minimum build standards were introduced.

Simple and effective upgrades will enable households to reduce energy consumption, save money on their energy bills and cut emissions, while making homes more comfortable to live in.

Under Peter Dutton, this program is at risk of being cut to pay for his $600 billion nuclear reactor scheme, the most expensive form of energy and the slowest to build.
 
While the Liberals are asking Tasmanians to wait two decades and pay  for the most expensive form of energy, Labor is making a difference now by building on an earlier $16.6 million co-investment by the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments.

This highly successful energy upgrade program is a partnership between the Albanese Labor Government and state and territory governments. The recent funding expansion was announced in November 2024 and funded in the 2024-25 MYEFO and takes the Commonwealth’s total funding to $800 million.

Quotes attributable to Senator Anne Urquhart

“Public Housing tenants right across Tasmania will benefit from improvements that will reduce energy consumption, make houses more comfortable and deliver cost of living savings to residents.”

“This is good for households and good for the community. Everyone should be able to benefit from new energy saving measures, including public housing tenants. Labor is backing better housing and cost of living savings for Tasmanians.”