Liberal senator Hollie Hughes has questioned whether the government was “Pocock-barrelling” after an ACT sustainable household scheme received a $7.5 million boost in the federal budget.
The question was quickly shut down by both Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister and ACT independent senator David Pocock.
The interest-free loans program in question, which helps residents electrify their homes, was listed separately in the budget and is similar to another billion-dollar initiative designed to facilitate low-cost financing for energy upgrades, which triggered Senator Hughes’ concern.
“Is this $7.5 million effectively Pocock-barrelling, that we’re effectively offering [Independent ACT senator David Pocock], perhaps in exchange for his vote on Safeguard Mechanism?” Senator Hughes asked during the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee estimates on Monday.
Senator McAllister said she rejected “that characterisation”.
Senator Pocock told The Canberra Times he has been “upfront about what I negotiated in terms of amendments to support various pieces of government legislation”.
“It seems like Senator Hughes is making this allegation in order to get a headline,” he said.
“My understanding is that this very modest investment in an existing ACT scheme is in recognition that Canberrans don’t benefit as much as other Australians from household and small business energy bill relief.”
Simon Duggan, from the Department of Climate Change, said ACT received this funding because it wasn’t getting the full $500 energy bill rebate like other states.
“If you look across that program, and the bill rebates then you get equity across all the jurisdictions,” he said.
According to the department’s website, eligible households in the ACT can get a $175 rebate.
“Your bills will also be lower owing to the ACT’s Large-scale Feed-in Tariff Scheme which will lower the average bill by $152,” the site states.
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Natalie Vikhrov reports on federal politics and public service for The Canberra Times. Prior to this, she spent several years covering human rights in Eastern Europe, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Get in touch via [email protected].
Natalie Vikhrov reports on federal politics and public service for The Canberra Times. Prior to this, she spent several years covering human rights in Eastern Europe, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Get in touch via [email protected].