Treasury is drafting options to scale back the government’s $7 billion home battery scheme as it hunts for spending cuts before the mid-year budget update, setting up a showdown with Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who has hit social media to defend the popular rebates.
The scheme, which provides generous rebates on the upfront cost of batteries, has subsidised more than 600,000 systems since it came into effect in July 2025, but its immense popularity has repeatedly blown out the government’s cost estimates.
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