Latest news with #Hetherington
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Broncos veteran back from injury to tackle Titans
Ben Hunt's return from injury has come at just the right time for Brisbane as they target five consecutive wins. The veteran utility trained strongly with the team on Tuesday and is set to be named to play Gold Coast in Robina on Sunday night. The 35-year-old injured a hamstring in Round 10 against South Sydney and will come into the side to play hooker. Based on training, Cory Paix is likely to be the one to miss out, but the Broncos will be sweating on the availability of their State of Origin contingent of Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Gehamat Shibasaki. Fullback Reece Walsh is 18th man for Queensland and will definitely play the Titans. Hunt played five-eighth before he was injured, but with the return of Ezra Mam will revert to the hooker role where he has been a standout in the past for the Maroons. Forward Kobe Hetherington said Hunt would be a huge boost if included to play the Titans. "Everyone knows how good a player he is," Hetherington said. "He is in the leadership group for a reason and brings that leadership, and all us younger fellas get around him. He is such a good talker and is tough as well. "We have seen what he has done at Origin playing that hooker role, so if he can bring that back here the boys will be cheering." Utility Billy Walters is set to be retained in the 17 after shining off the bench. "Billy is a competitor and it doesn't matter where you put him," Hetherington said. "He has been doing a really good job off the bench. He is kicking 40/20s, scoring tries and he is snapping blokes in half. He's really putting his hand up." The Broncos had a brilliant 22-18 win over Canterbury last week after trailing 18-0 and are seeking their fifth win in a row. "That is one of the best wins I have been a part of in my career," Hetherington said. "Our back was on the fence in the first half and Madge (coach Michael Maguire) brought us in and said 'boys, keep sticking with it'. "In the first half I thought we defended well, and Madge said 'stay in it and we will get them the back end of the half' . We all believed. "We had all those players out (due to Origin and injury) and everyone stood up. It was a good feeling." Ben Hunt's return from injury has come at just the right time for Brisbane as they target five consecutive wins. The veteran utility trained strongly with the team on Tuesday and is set to be named to play Gold Coast in Robina on Sunday night. The 35-year-old injured a hamstring in Round 10 against South Sydney and will come into the side to play hooker. Based on training, Cory Paix is likely to be the one to miss out, but the Broncos will be sweating on the availability of their State of Origin contingent of Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Gehamat Shibasaki. Fullback Reece Walsh is 18th man for Queensland and will definitely play the Titans. Hunt played five-eighth before he was injured, but with the return of Ezra Mam will revert to the hooker role where he has been a standout in the past for the Maroons. Forward Kobe Hetherington said Hunt would be a huge boost if included to play the Titans. "Everyone knows how good a player he is," Hetherington said. "He is in the leadership group for a reason and brings that leadership, and all us younger fellas get around him. He is such a good talker and is tough as well. "We have seen what he has done at Origin playing that hooker role, so if he can bring that back here the boys will be cheering." Utility Billy Walters is set to be retained in the 17 after shining off the bench. "Billy is a competitor and it doesn't matter where you put him," Hetherington said. "He has been doing a really good job off the bench. He is kicking 40/20s, scoring tries and he is snapping blokes in half. He's really putting his hand up." The Broncos had a brilliant 22-18 win over Canterbury last week after trailing 18-0 and are seeking their fifth win in a row. "That is one of the best wins I have been a part of in my career," Hetherington said. "Our back was on the fence in the first half and Madge (coach Michael Maguire) brought us in and said 'boys, keep sticking with it'. "In the first half I thought we defended well, and Madge said 'stay in it and we will get them the back end of the half' . We all believed. "We had all those players out (due to Origin and injury) and everyone stood up. It was a good feeling." Ben Hunt's return from injury has come at just the right time for Brisbane as they target five consecutive wins. The veteran utility trained strongly with the team on Tuesday and is set to be named to play Gold Coast in Robina on Sunday night. The 35-year-old injured a hamstring in Round 10 against South Sydney and will come into the side to play hooker. Based on training, Cory Paix is likely to be the one to miss out, but the Broncos will be sweating on the availability of their State of Origin contingent of Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Gehamat Shibasaki. Fullback Reece Walsh is 18th man for Queensland and will definitely play the Titans. Hunt played five-eighth before he was injured, but with the return of Ezra Mam will revert to the hooker role where he has been a standout in the past for the Maroons. Forward Kobe Hetherington said Hunt would be a huge boost if included to play the Titans. "Everyone knows how good a player he is," Hetherington said. "He is in the leadership group for a reason and brings that leadership, and all us younger fellas get around him. He is such a good talker and is tough as well. "We have seen what he has done at Origin playing that hooker role, so if he can bring that back here the boys will be cheering." Utility Billy Walters is set to be retained in the 17 after shining off the bench. "Billy is a competitor and it doesn't matter where you put him," Hetherington said. "He has been doing a really good job off the bench. He is kicking 40/20s, scoring tries and he is snapping blokes in half. He's really putting his hand up." The Broncos had a brilliant 22-18 win over Canterbury last week after trailing 18-0 and are seeking their fifth win in a row. "That is one of the best wins I have been a part of in my career," Hetherington said. "Our back was on the fence in the first half and Madge (coach Michael Maguire) brought us in and said 'boys, keep sticking with it'. "In the first half I thought we defended well, and Madge said 'stay in it and we will get them the back end of the half' . We all believed. "We had all those players out (due to Origin and injury) and everyone stood up. It was a good feeling."
Global News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Meet the 10-year-old B.C. opera singer taking the arts world by storm
Jake Apricity Hetherington is only 10 years old, but there's nothing little about her voice — or her ambitions. The young, classically trained singer is taking the performing arts world by storm and has already stacked up an impressive resume. That includes singing the national anthem to kick off Vancouver Canadians and Vancouver Whitecaps games earlier this year. 'I don't have stage fright, I never have, and I like performing in front of crowds, so I wasn't really that nervous, but I was a bit just because I had never performed for that many people,' she said of her anthem performance in front of a crowd of 20,000 at BC Place last month. 'I felt happy, overwhelmed, so nervous. I felt like every emotion at the exact same time.' 2:06 Global BC Arts & Culture Scene: 65 years of Vancouver Opera Despite her young age, Hetherington already has plenty of experience: her debut performance came in a production at her grandmother's church at just two years old, when she played a shepherd. Story continues below advertisement Her mother, Melissa Mercier, told Global News her daughter started singing before she even started talking. 'She announced to mom and dad that she was going to be an opera singer at three years old, which we didn't quite take seriously at first, but she started singing it, so we got her a vocal coach,' she said. 'And she never stopped being interested. She's never stopped loving it. And she loves it even more than before. And now she's learning German and Italian. Sure, why not?' Mercier said there are plenty of singers on Hetherington's paternal side of the family, and that performance might just be in her DNA. But she said it's her daughter's work ethic, being willing to 'do whatever it takes,' that has underpinned her successes. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy At age seven, Hetherington handled her first lead role in an operatic performance of Amahl and the Night. Opera, Hetherington said, is an experience like no other. 'It's just the feeling that it gives me, it just feels so inspirational and so beautiful to me because you only have one shot and there's no microphone so you have to sing your entire heart out and I think that feeling is just one of the best feelings in the world,' she said. Story continues below advertisement Mercier said it was this production that made it clear her daughter was a true performer. 2:16 This is BC: Vancouver woman uses latest technology to create opera 'I guess I was nervous because we didn't know. Can she? Can she not? We knew she could sing, but that's different to be on stage for 95 minutes. And she just nailed it. And I think since that moment, nervousness went away. I'm not nervous. I know she's got this.' Hetherington recently made history as the youngest performer to ever star in the titular role of The Little Prince with the Pacific Opera Victoria. When the show premiered, she was only nine years old. 'It makes me feel really proud that I actually accomplished that, and it makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. Like, at first, when I realized that, I was like, 'Oh my God, I did that!'' Story continues below advertisement 'I learned that (being) in a gigantic role is really hard, but also not that hard at the same time. It was kind of just the perfect mix, so I learned that even if it seems like the biggest thing in the entire world, sometimes if you just really focus on it, it's not that big.' On top of the singing, Hetherington has also landed screen credits with a recurring role in the Netflix series Virgin River. While Hetherington's exploits on stage might set her apart from other kids her age, offstage, she's a lot like other B.C. girls her age. She enjoys having sleepovers with her friends, fashion and working on art and science projects. 'Like the ones where you mix a bunch of things and it foams,' she said. 'I love those things. I love foam, that's one of my favourite things in the world.' 1:07 Inaugural Opera in the Park at Burnaby's Deer Lake The little singer has big plans for the future. Story continues below advertisement When she's old enough, she hopes to play the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. The queen's aria, she said, is what inspired her as a three-year-old to want to become an opera singer. 'I was like, 'Mom, Dad, I'm going to be an opera singer. I have to do this.' And I haven't changed my mind. I'm not going to.' She also has advice for other young artists who might be hesitant about getting up onstage. 'If they have stage fright, it's always better to try and maybe not do that good,' she said. 'It's better to just try and see that, 'Oh, maybe this isn't right for me,' instead of not trying and then missing out on a super great opportunity, whether you're scared or not, and whether it seems like a gigantic thing or not.'
The National
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Edinburgh Arts Festival film sheds light on invisible Scottish stories
In a year that marks the 30th anniversary since the first major Pride event in Scotland, an attempt is being made to reconnect queer people with the past, as well as bring in voices of other marginalised groups and the languages of Scots, Gaelic, British Sign Language (BSL) and English. The film, titled who will be remembered here, made by artists Lewis Hetherington and CJ Mahony, features four queer writers who have responded in different languages to sites in Scotland spanning ancient to modern history. Previews of the film have already been well received, including from a community group in Glasgow's Easterhouse, who were particularly moved by Robert Softley Gale's visit to the now-defunct Biggar Gasworks. READ MORE: 'Their love for Scotland made my heart sing': George Ezra hails Scottish folk group 'In Robert's film, he reflects on his cerebral palsy and how he's been challenged his whole life to explain what his purpose or function is, so this industrial site – which is built for such a specific function – becomes an interesting tension,' said Hetherington. 'He goes on to talk about fatherhood and actually how that connects to a sense of purpose.' Hetherington said they had been 'bowled over' by the response from the Easterhouse community. 'There were quite a number of people in the audience who spoke up in the discussion afterwards about their own experience of disability, saying they'd never felt so seen and felt really celebrated,' he said. 'We'd be overjoyed if it makes people feel more confident to speak up about who they are and what they've gone through.' Softley Gale's section is in English, while the section from Harry Josephine Giles, who visits two brochs, is in Scots. Bea Webster, who is filmed at standing stones on Arran (below), uses BSL. Robbie MacLeòid visits Fort George, with his section in Gaelic – appropriately for a place that has an oppressive and dark history within Gaelic culture. 'Webster's approach to the Arran standing stones is also interesting as they have Thai heritage and this has led to some people assuming they have no connection to Scottish history even though they have grown up in Scotland,' said Hetherington. The film begins at dawn at Biggar, moves to Fort George, then south of Skye before finishing at Arran in the evening. 'There's this sense of going from most recent past to the most distant as well as from the beginning of the day to the end,' said Mahony. 'The film is very, very beautiful and it is hard to convey just how tender the pieces are and how there's a real intimacy that's created. A lot of people have said how connected they felt, even though it's mediated by a screen.' The pair pointed out that many of the stories of people whose lives have been part of Scottish history have never been recorded. 'It's not just queer people who have always existed – it's all sorts of marginalised voices and identities,' Hetherington said. READ MORE: One-woman play will explore consequences of explosion in extreme sex acts on OnlyFans 'That's how we came to work with four different languages because it quickly became apparent how the languages that are so prevalent in Scotland are often still not considered as part of the mainstream story. 'We wanted to think about how we could address that and reflect a broader spectrum as well as look at the purpose and use of places across Scotland.' The project was in partnership with Historic Scotland. Hetherington said the organisation had been keen to help explore how these stories could be told and create kinship with queer lives who are part of the country's heritage. 'It has been a really significant project for them in terms of a new approach to historical interpretation and we've already been invited to speak at a number of conferences about this as a case study of how to interpret sites, such as the World Heritage conference which took place in Stirling last year,' said Hetherington. A book has also been produced to accompany the exhibition, with 12 writers commissioned to contribute pieces about their queer history. Unlike the films – which are responding to sites deemed historically significant and in Historic Scotland's care – the writers talk about places which are not well known but are very significant to the authors' personal history. 'So we have moments of queer revelation, celebration, or emancipation on mountainsides, in amusement arcades, in libraries and more,' said Hetherington. The writers are Ali Smith, Amanda Thomson, Ashley Douglas, Damian Barr, Ever Dundas, Ink Asher Hemp, Jeff Meek, Johnny McKnight, Lousie Welsh, Mae Diansangu, MJ Deans and Rona Munro. Hetherington and Mahony also contributed a piece. As well as trying to connect people with Scottish history, it is hoped the project can be an archive for the future. 'I think in the context of politics at the moment, it's really important for people to see those intersections of lives and identities present on screen and for those stories to be told,' said Hetherington. 'We hope these voices won't be erased the way they maybe have been in the past.' He said he also hoped people would feel a shared sense of humanity through watching the film. 'Sometimes, when we're trying to look at history in a different way, perhaps through a feminist or a queer lens, people might think it is for a specific audience,' Hetherington said. READ MORE: Artist's lens brought to bear on impact of austerity in new exhibition 'But actually, these are things that are all our history. It's all our nation. 'The thing that excites me is the idea that people, whoever they are, will be able to see themselves in Scottish history, challenge or question Scottish history and fall in love with it again.' who will be remembered here is showing every day from August 7-24. It is 30 minutes long, with screenings every 45 minutes, from 10am at the EAF Pavillion, 45 Leith Street. The book, who will be remembered here, will be available to buy from the EAF Pavillion and a special event is also being held as part of Edinburgh Book Festival on August 17.
The Advertiser
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Home solar battery contracts ripped up as promised government rebate ditched
Households in NSW promised federal and state government discounts on a new home solar battery have been told they are no longer eligible for both and will need to start from scratch. Australians with rooftop solar rushed to take advantage of the new federal "cheaper home batteries" discount - worth about $4000 on a typical 11.5kWh battery - in the wake of Labor's May election win. Many installers took orders and started fitting batteries on the basis the federal rebate could be claimed after July 1 on top of any state schemes. But the NSW government on June 10 announced it was scrapping its existing discount after only seven months. Instead, it decided to expand a program to encourage households to sell power stored in batteries back to the market through virtual power plants. This left installers with a lot difficult phone calls to make to battery customers who they'd promised would receive both the state Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) discount and the federal rebate on new batteries. Some customers who had not yet had a battery fitted were offered refunds on their deposits, or new quotes with the NSW discount - sometimes worth thousands of dollars - removed. "There have been no circumstances where people can claim solar battery installation incentives under both the commonwealth and NSW schemes," a spokesman for the NSW energy department said. "We recommend that households and small businesses contact their installer to discuss any quote that claimed both incentives would apply." Installers would likely have to bear the cost of the state discount they expected where households had already paid for, and received, their battery. Solar Battery Group, which operates nationally and has been installing 40 batteries a day since the government's re-election on May 3, was one of those. "If the customer is adamant they don't want to change the size of battery or the specifications, then yes, we will wear it," chief executive James Hetherington said. "We've had a lot of people wanting finance that are very confused because those [NSW] laws changed." Mr Hetherington said each business made a choice about how to respond to the federal funding - but new policy "hand grenades" were coming thick and fast across the country. "They did warn all of us: 'Install at your own risk'," he said. "They made that quite clear and we all made our own individual decisions on what risks we were going to take based on our own margins, on our own business models." He said the industry was moving very fast. "It's never moved like this in its history with batteries. "It's had this, obviously, many times with solar and solar panels, but the battery industry is not used to this, so it's got a few growing pains in the next six months," Mr Hetherington said. A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the federal battery discount was always designed to be used in conjunction with state incentives. "We designed the cheaper home batteries program to be stackable with state incentives, and it is," she said. "NSW are now also offering a battery incentive, for joining virtual power plants, which is stackable with ours. "The design and balance of NSW incentives is a matter for them, but giving more people more support to get batteries and join [virtual power plants] is good news for the industry." But the industry at a wider level was nonetheless disappointed in the cancellation of the NSW battery installation discount. "The announcement of the new NSW scheme was not the outcome they had expected or wanted," Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said. "Industry has been operating under a great deal of uncertainty as they awaited clarity around the NSW PDRS that's caused considerable pain for many," he said. "The cuts to the scheme will continue to cause pain." RESINC Solar and Batteries founder Leigh Storr did not offer customers both NSW and federal installation discounts. "I feel for any installers who've jumped the gun," he said. "What they've been selling on is hope." He said the cheaper home batteries discount was a large enough incentive on its own to encourage battery take up. "I'm in huge support of what Chris Bowen has done," Mr Storr said. The PDRS scheme in NSW, which delivered about 11,000 rebates in first six months of the program, will be scrapped after June 30. Instead households with batteries are eligible for up to $1500 to help more connect to virtual power plants, which take customers' excess energy stored in batteries and sell it on. "From 1 July the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) incentives for installing a battery will be suspended, but the consumers will have access to higher incentives under the commonwealth cheaper home batteries program," an NSW energy department spokesman said. "Incentives under the NSW PDRS to connect batteries to virtual power plants (VPPs) will almost double, and can be stacked with the commonwealth program." Any new batteries cannot be turned on before July 1 in order to be eligible for the federal discount under the $2.3 billion cheaper home batteries program. Households in NSW promised federal and state government discounts on a new home solar battery have been told they are no longer eligible for both and will need to start from scratch. Australians with rooftop solar rushed to take advantage of the new federal "cheaper home batteries" discount - worth about $4000 on a typical 11.5kWh battery - in the wake of Labor's May election win. Many installers took orders and started fitting batteries on the basis the federal rebate could be claimed after July 1 on top of any state schemes. But the NSW government on June 10 announced it was scrapping its existing discount after only seven months. Instead, it decided to expand a program to encourage households to sell power stored in batteries back to the market through virtual power plants. This left installers with a lot difficult phone calls to make to battery customers who they'd promised would receive both the state Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) discount and the federal rebate on new batteries. Some customers who had not yet had a battery fitted were offered refunds on their deposits, or new quotes with the NSW discount - sometimes worth thousands of dollars - removed. "There have been no circumstances where people can claim solar battery installation incentives under both the commonwealth and NSW schemes," a spokesman for the NSW energy department said. "We recommend that households and small businesses contact their installer to discuss any quote that claimed both incentives would apply." Installers would likely have to bear the cost of the state discount they expected where households had already paid for, and received, their battery. Solar Battery Group, which operates nationally and has been installing 40 batteries a day since the government's re-election on May 3, was one of those. "If the customer is adamant they don't want to change the size of battery or the specifications, then yes, we will wear it," chief executive James Hetherington said. "We've had a lot of people wanting finance that are very confused because those [NSW] laws changed." Mr Hetherington said each business made a choice about how to respond to the federal funding - but new policy "hand grenades" were coming thick and fast across the country. "They did warn all of us: 'Install at your own risk'," he said. "They made that quite clear and we all made our own individual decisions on what risks we were going to take based on our own margins, on our own business models." He said the industry was moving very fast. "It's never moved like this in its history with batteries. "It's had this, obviously, many times with solar and solar panels, but the battery industry is not used to this, so it's got a few growing pains in the next six months," Mr Hetherington said. A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the federal battery discount was always designed to be used in conjunction with state incentives. "We designed the cheaper home batteries program to be stackable with state incentives, and it is," she said. "NSW are now also offering a battery incentive, for joining virtual power plants, which is stackable with ours. "The design and balance of NSW incentives is a matter for them, but giving more people more support to get batteries and join [virtual power plants] is good news for the industry." But the industry at a wider level was nonetheless disappointed in the cancellation of the NSW battery installation discount. "The announcement of the new NSW scheme was not the outcome they had expected or wanted," Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said. "Industry has been operating under a great deal of uncertainty as they awaited clarity around the NSW PDRS that's caused considerable pain for many," he said. "The cuts to the scheme will continue to cause pain." RESINC Solar and Batteries founder Leigh Storr did not offer customers both NSW and federal installation discounts. "I feel for any installers who've jumped the gun," he said. "What they've been selling on is hope." He said the cheaper home batteries discount was a large enough incentive on its own to encourage battery take up. "I'm in huge support of what Chris Bowen has done," Mr Storr said. The PDRS scheme in NSW, which delivered about 11,000 rebates in first six months of the program, will be scrapped after June 30. Instead households with batteries are eligible for up to $1500 to help more connect to virtual power plants, which take customers' excess energy stored in batteries and sell it on. "From 1 July the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) incentives for installing a battery will be suspended, but the consumers will have access to higher incentives under the commonwealth cheaper home batteries program," an NSW energy department spokesman said. "Incentives under the NSW PDRS to connect batteries to virtual power plants (VPPs) will almost double, and can be stacked with the commonwealth program." Any new batteries cannot be turned on before July 1 in order to be eligible for the federal discount under the $2.3 billion cheaper home batteries program. Households in NSW promised federal and state government discounts on a new home solar battery have been told they are no longer eligible for both and will need to start from scratch. Australians with rooftop solar rushed to take advantage of the new federal "cheaper home batteries" discount - worth about $4000 on a typical 11.5kWh battery - in the wake of Labor's May election win. Many installers took orders and started fitting batteries on the basis the federal rebate could be claimed after July 1 on top of any state schemes. But the NSW government on June 10 announced it was scrapping its existing discount after only seven months. Instead, it decided to expand a program to encourage households to sell power stored in batteries back to the market through virtual power plants. This left installers with a lot difficult phone calls to make to battery customers who they'd promised would receive both the state Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) discount and the federal rebate on new batteries. Some customers who had not yet had a battery fitted were offered refunds on their deposits, or new quotes with the NSW discount - sometimes worth thousands of dollars - removed. "There have been no circumstances where people can claim solar battery installation incentives under both the commonwealth and NSW schemes," a spokesman for the NSW energy department said. "We recommend that households and small businesses contact their installer to discuss any quote that claimed both incentives would apply." Installers would likely have to bear the cost of the state discount they expected where households had already paid for, and received, their battery. Solar Battery Group, which operates nationally and has been installing 40 batteries a day since the government's re-election on May 3, was one of those. "If the customer is adamant they don't want to change the size of battery or the specifications, then yes, we will wear it," chief executive James Hetherington said. "We've had a lot of people wanting finance that are very confused because those [NSW] laws changed." Mr Hetherington said each business made a choice about how to respond to the federal funding - but new policy "hand grenades" were coming thick and fast across the country. "They did warn all of us: 'Install at your own risk'," he said. "They made that quite clear and we all made our own individual decisions on what risks we were going to take based on our own margins, on our own business models." He said the industry was moving very fast. "It's never moved like this in its history with batteries. "It's had this, obviously, many times with solar and solar panels, but the battery industry is not used to this, so it's got a few growing pains in the next six months," Mr Hetherington said. A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the federal battery discount was always designed to be used in conjunction with state incentives. "We designed the cheaper home batteries program to be stackable with state incentives, and it is," she said. "NSW are now also offering a battery incentive, for joining virtual power plants, which is stackable with ours. "The design and balance of NSW incentives is a matter for them, but giving more people more support to get batteries and join [virtual power plants] is good news for the industry." But the industry at a wider level was nonetheless disappointed in the cancellation of the NSW battery installation discount. "The announcement of the new NSW scheme was not the outcome they had expected or wanted," Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said. "Industry has been operating under a great deal of uncertainty as they awaited clarity around the NSW PDRS that's caused considerable pain for many," he said. "The cuts to the scheme will continue to cause pain." RESINC Solar and Batteries founder Leigh Storr did not offer customers both NSW and federal installation discounts. "I feel for any installers who've jumped the gun," he said. "What they've been selling on is hope." He said the cheaper home batteries discount was a large enough incentive on its own to encourage battery take up. "I'm in huge support of what Chris Bowen has done," Mr Storr said. The PDRS scheme in NSW, which delivered about 11,000 rebates in first six months of the program, will be scrapped after June 30. Instead households with batteries are eligible for up to $1500 to help more connect to virtual power plants, which take customers' excess energy stored in batteries and sell it on. "From 1 July the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) incentives for installing a battery will be suspended, but the consumers will have access to higher incentives under the commonwealth cheaper home batteries program," an NSW energy department spokesman said. "Incentives under the NSW PDRS to connect batteries to virtual power plants (VPPs) will almost double, and can be stacked with the commonwealth program." Any new batteries cannot be turned on before July 1 in order to be eligible for the federal discount under the $2.3 billion cheaper home batteries program. Households in NSW promised federal and state government discounts on a new home solar battery have been told they are no longer eligible for both and will need to start from scratch. Australians with rooftop solar rushed to take advantage of the new federal "cheaper home batteries" discount - worth about $4000 on a typical 11.5kWh battery - in the wake of Labor's May election win. Many installers took orders and started fitting batteries on the basis the federal rebate could be claimed after July 1 on top of any state schemes. But the NSW government on June 10 announced it was scrapping its existing discount after only seven months. Instead, it decided to expand a program to encourage households to sell power stored in batteries back to the market through virtual power plants. This left installers with a lot difficult phone calls to make to battery customers who they'd promised would receive both the state Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) discount and the federal rebate on new batteries. Some customers who had not yet had a battery fitted were offered refunds on their deposits, or new quotes with the NSW discount - sometimes worth thousands of dollars - removed. "There have been no circumstances where people can claim solar battery installation incentives under both the commonwealth and NSW schemes," a spokesman for the NSW energy department said. "We recommend that households and small businesses contact their installer to discuss any quote that claimed both incentives would apply." Installers would likely have to bear the cost of the state discount they expected where households had already paid for, and received, their battery. Solar Battery Group, which operates nationally and has been installing 40 batteries a day since the government's re-election on May 3, was one of those. "If the customer is adamant they don't want to change the size of battery or the specifications, then yes, we will wear it," chief executive James Hetherington said. "We've had a lot of people wanting finance that are very confused because those [NSW] laws changed." Mr Hetherington said each business made a choice about how to respond to the federal funding - but new policy "hand grenades" were coming thick and fast across the country. "They did warn all of us: 'Install at your own risk'," he said. "They made that quite clear and we all made our own individual decisions on what risks we were going to take based on our own margins, on our own business models." He said the industry was moving very fast. "It's never moved like this in its history with batteries. "It's had this, obviously, many times with solar and solar panels, but the battery industry is not used to this, so it's got a few growing pains in the next six months," Mr Hetherington said. A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the federal battery discount was always designed to be used in conjunction with state incentives. "We designed the cheaper home batteries program to be stackable with state incentives, and it is," she said. "NSW are now also offering a battery incentive, for joining virtual power plants, which is stackable with ours. "The design and balance of NSW incentives is a matter for them, but giving more people more support to get batteries and join [virtual power plants] is good news for the industry." But the industry at a wider level was nonetheless disappointed in the cancellation of the NSW battery installation discount. "The announcement of the new NSW scheme was not the outcome they had expected or wanted," Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said. "Industry has been operating under a great deal of uncertainty as they awaited clarity around the NSW PDRS that's caused considerable pain for many," he said. "The cuts to the scheme will continue to cause pain." RESINC Solar and Batteries founder Leigh Storr did not offer customers both NSW and federal installation discounts. "I feel for any installers who've jumped the gun," he said. "What they've been selling on is hope." He said the cheaper home batteries discount was a large enough incentive on its own to encourage battery take up. "I'm in huge support of what Chris Bowen has done," Mr Storr said. The PDRS scheme in NSW, which delivered about 11,000 rebates in first six months of the program, will be scrapped after June 30. Instead households with batteries are eligible for up to $1500 to help more connect to virtual power plants, which take customers' excess energy stored in batteries and sell it on. "From 1 July the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) incentives for installing a battery will be suspended, but the consumers will have access to higher incentives under the commonwealth cheaper home batteries program," an NSW energy department spokesman said. "Incentives under the NSW PDRS to connect batteries to virtual power plants (VPPs) will almost double, and can be stacked with the commonwealth program." Any new batteries cannot be turned on before July 1 in order to be eligible for the federal discount under the $2.3 billion cheaper home batteries program.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Michael Maguire forced into huge backflip after reversing Kevin Walters decision
Michael Maguire has finally made the call to move Patrick Carrigan back to lock as Broncos board member Darren Lockyer refused to guarantee the coach's future at the club if they fail to make the eight. Maguire cut a 'grim' figure in the coaching box on the weekend as he watched Manly put 34 on his team at Brookvale Oval. Maguire even addressed his team behind closed doors after the embarrassing result in a rare move from the coach. The Broncos have now lost six of their last seven games with the club finishing the round in 12th place. On Tuesday, Kotoni Staggs slapped down suggestions there is player unrest at the club with talks Maguire's style of coaching is taking its toll on the players. Staggs and Adam Reynolds denied this claim and said the players have let down the side. But Maguire has finally wilted and dropped Hetherington from the starting XIII. Only days after his arrival in Brisbane, Maguire reversed the decision from previous coach Kevin Walters on Hetherington's future. Under Walters, Hetherington appeared to be on his way out the door with the coach looking elsewhere in his forward stocks. But Maguire liked Hetherington's work rate in defence and has started him at lock in every game so far. This saw Carrigan move to the front-row alongside Payne Haas. However, as the losses have stacked up for Brisbane, calls have grown for Carrigan to move back into his preferred position. And Maguire finally decided Hetherington's form in attack was not good enough after last week's effort. Hetherington only ran for 29 metres against Manly on Saturday. While he made 37 tackles in his 47 minutes on the field, his efforts in attack were uninspiring. Hetherington averages 69 metres a game in 2025, but only has three tackle breaks across the season. And Maguire has moved Hetherington to the bench for the first time in 2025 and shifted Carrigan back to lock. This allows another bigger body to start in the front-row with Corey Jenson moving alongside Haas. Maguire will be hoping Carrigan can also help ignite the failing Broncos attack with some of his ball-playing abilities at lock. the park that brought the club so close to a premiership in now prop's output that year at lock is on average more than double Hetherington's in some categories like run metres where Carrigan averaged over 125 metres a match. — JOSH BIRD (@palejawsh) June 2, 2025 On Tuesday, club legend and board member Lockyer refused to guarantee Maguire would be at the club if their season continues to unravel after a telling comment. Questions are being asked of Maguire halfway through the season after the Broncos started the campaign so strongly, only to be outside the top eight during the State of Origin schedule. On the weekend, Penrith legend Greg Alexander was left bewildered at the capitulation of the Broncos with a number of representative players still in the squad. "I don't know where Michael Maguire goes to from here…there has got to be some improvement, but where?' Alexander said in commentary. After their loss to the Sea Eagles on Saturday night, Maguire locked his players away behind closed doors to deliver his post-mortem. The coach and players usually sit in a room where cameras are present, and the vision is often shown on Fox League or Channel 9. But on Saturday night, Maguire took his players to a separate part of the locker room that doesn't have cameras, and closed off the area so no-one else could gain access. Maguire was clearly feeling the pressure after yet another loss. And speaking on the QLDER show, Lockyer made a telling comment when asked whether Maguire's job was safe if the team continues their free-fall. "If you we don't make the top eight, given what we thought at the start the year and the early signs, that would be a disappointment," Lockyer said on the show. Lockyer didn't go in to any further detail, but claimed Maguire's coaching style is very different to that of former coach Walters. Maguire was brought into give the Broncos a hard edge after the team went from the 2023 NRL grand final to missing the top eight in 2024. While Maguire's coaching career at the Broncos started well, second-half capitulations have seen the side drop six of their last seven games.
