Labor’s community battery grants more pork-barrelling
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Independent federal MP Rebekha Sharkie has asked the Auditor-General to investigate the first two round of funding under the federal government’s $200 million Community Batteries for Household Solar program, with Sharkie likening the scheme to the sports rorts saga under the former Morrison government.
During opposition and in the lead-up to the May 2022 election, Labor announced that 58 suburbs across every state and territory except the Northern Territory had been selected to house community batteries.
Media analysis suggests that 74% of the suburbs were in seats Labor stood to gain or could easily retain.
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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness.
Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.