Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hailed the installation of more than 500,000 home batteries across Australia, saying the take-up is cutting household power bills, creating jobs and helping reduce emissions.
Speaking in Castle Hill, Sydney, on Friday, Mr Albanese said 507,651 home batteries had been installed under the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program since July last year.
“Australia is a world leader when it comes to solar panels on people’s roofs,” Mr Albanese said.
“And now we’re going for gold when it comes to batteries.”
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australian households now had about 14 gigawatt hours of battery storage, compared with 9 gigawatt hours across the United States.
He said the program was also supporting thousands of jobs, with about 8,400 battery installers working across 2,000 firms.
Mr Bowen said the electorate of Mitchell, which includes Castle Hill, had recorded the highest battery take-up in NSW, with 6,958 batteries installed.
The press conference also saw Mr Albanese face renewed questions about his appearance on the Bush Deep comedy podcast, where remarks about Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Japanese melons have sparked political controversy.
Asked whether he knew the podcast host would ask him to play “Shag, Marry, Kill”, Mr Albanese said: “No.”
He was also asked whether discussing his wife’s sexual choices on a public podcast was respectful and appropriate.
“I’ve responded to those comments. I’ve responded on the podcast,” Mr Albanese said.
Asked whether Australians could rely on him to tell the truth, the Prime Minister replied: “Absolutely.”
Mr Albanese rejected suggestions that he had encouraged the podcast host’s sexual innuendo.
“You’re referring to her remarks, not mine,” he said.
The Prime Minister again defended Australia’s relationship with Japan, pointing to what he described as a “really positive and warm and convivial dinner” with Ms Takaichi at The Lodge.
The press conference also highlighted Mr Albanese’s broader message on multicultural Australia. “Modern Australia is multicultural,” he said.
“It’s a country with a Prime Minister called Albanese and a leader in the Senate called Wong.”
Mr Albanese said migrants and their descendants had helped build modern Australia and praised multicultural communities for establishing businesses and creating jobs.
“We’re enriched by our diversity in this country.”
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