RE-Alliance's submission to this Inquiry – which is undertaken by the Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport (Committee) – considers whether existing funding mechanisms are addressing the evolving responsibilities of local governments.
The role of local government is vital in achieving national renewable energy targets and the goal of net zero emissions. Councils are required to undertake significant work to facilitate successful place-based renewable energy transitions that work for their communities, despite rarely being decision-making entities for large-scale renewable energy development. Nonetheless, we know that, when well-equipped, councils can be leaders in this area.
However, the quantum of renewable energy developments planned for local government areas is not commensurate with the resources that councils have to coordinate successful local energy shifts. The smallest and most rural local governments with large renewable energy potential are generally the most stretched for capacity. The Federal Government should help to address this as part of its investment in delivering the national renewable energy targets and emissions reduction goals.
We encourage the Committee to make the following recommendations in its Inquiry findings:
- Councils across regional and rural Australia that are likely to host substantial numbers of renewable energy developments, both inside and outside of Renewable Energy Zones, should be allocated additional funding and resources to ensure they are able to fulfil their obligations under their state or territory’s planning system and ensure their communities receive legacy benefits from the shift to renewable energy.
- The Australian Government should fund a national network of Local Energy Hubs, starting in the 2026/27 financial year with a staged rollout of the first 15 Local Energy Hubs, plus a national coordination agency, at an average cost for each Hub of $1.5m per annum.
- All levels of government should work together to support better data sharing in relation to the shift to renewable energy and enable and ensure consistent peer support for rural and regional council leaders and staff so that they build skills and knowledge, develop further confidence, and are less isolated.