Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Bragg, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in 2024:

Australia's residential electrification efforts, with particular reference to:

(a) the economic opportunities of household electrification, including but not limited to:

(i) long-term reduction of energy price inflation,

(ii) long-term employment opportunities, and

(iii) the scaling up of domestic capacity;

(b) the macro-barriers to increasing the uptake of home electrification;

(c) the total upfront cost and longer-term benefits of household electrification and alternative models for funding and implementation;

(d) the marginal cost of abatement for household electrification compared to alternative sectors and options to decarbonise the economy;

(e) the optimal timeline for household electrification accounting for the likely timing of decarbonising electricity;

(f) the impacts and opportunities of household electrification for domestic energy security, household energy independence and for balance of international trade;

(g) the impacts of household electrification on reducing household energy spending and energy inflation as a component of the consumer price index;

(h) solutions to the economic barriers to electrification for low-income households;

(i) the effectiveness of existing Australian Federal, state and local government initiatives to promote and provide market incentives for household electrification;

(j) Australia's current standing against international standards, particularly with respect to the uptake of rooftop solar, batteries and electric household appliances; and

(k) any other matters.

Question agreed to.