The Albanese Government is partnering with local government to deliver energy upgrades and bill savings for community facilities like local pools, sporting clubs and community centres, so they can spend more on what they do best.
A new $100 million Community Energy Upgrades Fund will co-fund upgrades with local councils and has the potential to unlock over $200 million in high-impact energy upgrades to save community facilities on bills over the medium and long term.
Local councils own and operate many of the public sporting, community and cultural facilities Australians use every year, and we know that 8 million Australians use community sport infrastructure annually.
This new funding will unlock energy saving upgrades for community facilities around the country, and could include upgrades like replacing energy-intensive heating in council pools with heat pumps and energy efficient lighting and battery storage at sporting fields, libraries and community centres.
The Albanese Government is committed to delivering cheaper, cleaner energy to more Australians, and this $100 million funding boost from the Albanese Government, adds to the $1.6 billion Energy Savings Package delivering upgrades for homes and businesses in the 2023-24 Budget.
The guidelines for the Fund will be designed in close consultation with key stakeholders, including the Australian Local Government Association.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
“Local Government is central to the lives of all Australians. This investment will help local councils save on their power bills while upgrading facilities that serve their communities.
“The Albanese Government is committed to supporting local communities, and this includes helping them save on energy and save on power bills.”
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:
“Local councils run many of the sport and public facilities that keep our communities and clubs thriving. We want facilities that Australians know and love, like cricket grounds and local pools, to be able to save on their energy bills and spend more on the things they do best.
“The Albanese Government is not just providing short term relief on power bills, with our Community Energy Upgrades Fund and Energy Savings Package, it is also making the investments needed to deliver cleaner, cheaper power for the long-term.”
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain:
“Local governments are trusted delivery partners of a range of services communities rely on, which is why we continue to provide them with targeted assistance to help them meet the needs of their local communities.
“We know that every dollar local governments save goes back into their community, which is why the Community Energy Upgrades Fund is great news – it will mean more energy efficient operations and better experiences for communities to enjoy.”
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Jenny McAllister:
“Local governments are on the front line of combating climate change, which is why we’re partnering on major projects to save energy and decarbonise public facilities.
“More than 1,000 council pools in Australia are owned or operated by local government. They're big energy users and efficiencies can make a real difference on the path to net zero.
“We want to make every watt count. This fund will help local councils install efficient systems, reduce energy bills and lower emissions.”