State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, will today question the Minister for Energy about why a large section of the Wallsend electorate was left out of the Empowering Homes solar battery loan offer.
The Government recently announced the program that will help homeowners in the Hunter region access interest-free loans to install solar battery systems.
To be eligible for the program you must live in one of the postcodes listed by the Government, but the 2287 and 2299 postcodes have been left off the list.
Through this offer, you can get an interest-free loan of up to $14,000 towards a solar PV and battery system, or $9000 towards retrofitting a battery system to an existing solar PV system.
Ms Hornery has written to the Minister and will today move a Notice of Motion and put Questions on Notice to the Minister about these postcodes.
Quotes attributable to State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery MP
“The 2287 and 2299 postcodes are the biggest in the Hunter with a combined population of more than 73,000 residents and for some inexplicable reason they have been left out of this new program.”
“Wallsend, Maryland, Fletcher, Minmi, Rankin Park, Elermore Vale, Birmingham Gardens, Lambton, Jesmond, North Lambton, Shortland, Waratah and New Lambton have all been excluded.”
“These are the growth suburbs across the Lower Hunter and with thousands more blocks of land coming online in the near future, they would be the perfect fit for this program.”
“I have received letters and emails from dozens of disappointed residents who were looking to apply for the program only to discover they are not eligible.”
“The Minister needs to explain why so many other areas across the Hunter are eligible, but the biggest postcodes have been left out.”
“We are sick to death of being left out of programs by this Government. Whether it is sports, arts, tourism or transport funding, we are not receiving our fair share.”