STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms KARA COOK (Bonner) (13:35): The Albanese Labor government believes that no-one should miss out on the benefits of cheaper, cleaner energy simply because they rent, live in an apartment or cannot afford to install rooftop solar. That's exactly what the solar sharer offer is designed to deliver. From 1 July, eligible households in South-East Queensland with a smart meter installed will be able to opt in to access three hours of free electricity each day, in the middle of the day, when solar generation is at its peak.

This is a simple idea with a powerful purpose. When Australia is producing abundant solar, households should be able to use it. Importantly, it's not just about lower bills.

It will help ease the pressure on the grid by shifting energy use away from the evening peak. In Bonner, we have more than 3½ thousand home batteries that are already helping households make the most of clean energy, and this is another practical step forward. For families, it can mean running the dishwasher, doing a load of washing or heating or cooling the home.

Australia has embraced solar like nowhere else in the world has, with more than 4.2 million systems installed. That's more households with solar than with swimming pools. The solar sharer offer makes sure the benefits of that success are shared more fairly.

I look forward to households in Bonner taking up this offer from 1 July. This is practical cost-of-living relief built around how people actually live and use energy, and I commend it to the chamber.