Home / NEWS / Sparkies encouraged by battery announcement but urge safety and quality checks

Sparkies encouraged by battery announcement but urge safety and quality checks

Master Electricians Australia (MEA) has today said that it is encouraged by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s battery announcement but have urged for adequate resources to be put in place that guarantee safety and quality.

This morning Mr Shorten announced that, should Labor win the next federal election, they will subsidise 100,000 homes at a cost of $2,000 per family as part of its energy policy.

MEA CEO Malcolm Richards said that it’s vital that the lessons regarding safety and quality have been learnt from previous schemes.

“MEA encourages any policy aimed at increasing the use of solar and batteries but it is critical that the appropriate level of safety and quality checks are put in place to prevent the sorts of disasters we’ve seen in previous schemes,” Mr Richards said.

“The last thing we want to see is a repeat of the Pink Batts fiasco that wreaked havoc and ultimately cost the lives of four young Australians.

“There needs to be measures in place that stop dodgy operators – who don’t have the necessary expertise in electrical safety – entering the industry trying to make a quick buck.

“For this policy to work – and MEA hopes that it does if it’s implemented – we can’t allow fly by night marketing companies to corrupt the industry in the way they did with the home insulation scheme.

“Consideration also needs to be given to the impact this battery plan will have on the rules for the National Energy Market as well as the tariffs that apply to battery and solar use.

“Overall, MEA welcomes the announcement but we can’t stress enough the importance of implementing strong measures that guarantee high standards of safety and quality.”