Bowen’s batteries a safety-free zone

A home battery fire connected to the Albanese Labor Government $8.5 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program is further proof the government’s taxpayer-funded subsidy scheme is an unsafe and unaffordable disaster.

Internal documents obtained by the Opposition sent from Clean Energy Regulator to Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s office, have revealed that officials were still developing basic safety measures for the scheme months after the program had started, with a battery fire in Western Australia catalysing a drastic safety overhaul.

The documents reveal a litany of on-the-run safety measures being developed in real-time to cope with surging demand for the scheme. Issues in the internal briefing documents include:

  • High-risk installers invading the program
  • A lack of basic photographic requirements for battery labelling
  • No targeted additional inspections program
  • A mass recall of more than 12,000 batteries
  • No STC calculator
  • No targeted training module for battery labelling

According to the Clean Energy Regulator, as at 25 June 2026, 62 per cent of all inspected batteries have been found to be sub-standard. Despite more than 500,000 home batteries being installed, only 2,642 – less than 1 per cent – have been inspected.

In May, it was revealed that the Clean Energy Regulator, which administers the scheme, had to step in and disperse funding for the program because Chris Bowen’s department was worried they would run out of money.


In July, the ACCC issued a scathing assessment of the program, finding that there were “gaps in the current suite of consumer protections” for the scheme.

Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan said Labor’s home battery program was raising alarm bells.

“Since the day this scheme launched, Chris Bowen has only ever been interested in one thing: how much taxpayer money can he spend,” Mr Tehan said.

“The safety of Australians accessing this subsidy has been an afterthought.

“I repeat my call for the establishment of a comprehensive safety audit into Labor’s home battery program.”

ENDS

Media contact: Phil Connole M | 0417 063 605