Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a new initiative to reduce the cost of installing solar batteries in homes. If re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home solar battery by 30% from July 1, which would save households up to $1,100 on their power bills per year. Small businesses and community facilities would also be eligible for the discount.

The initiative is expected to cost $2.3 billion over the forward estimates and would lead to over one million installations by 2030. The discount would be applied to the cost of installing virtual power plant-ready battery systems, which would decline in value over the five-year period as the cost of batteries falls.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen emphasized that the initiative is a key part of the government’s priority to deliver cost-of-living relief to Australians. He contrasted Labor’s efforts with the Liberal Party’s nuclear plan, which he claims would drive up power bills.

In related news, Liberal Party Leader Peter Dutton caused a stir during a campaign event in Darwin on Saturday when he accidentally hit a TV camera with a ball, causing it to fall into the face of the cameraman. Dutton apologized and offered the cameraman a compensatory beer. The incident sparked memories of previous election campaign mishaps, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s rough tackle on a junior soccer player in 2022 and Albanese’s own stumble off a stage last week.