Experts will discuss renters, apartments and finance barriers
Monash University will host a rapid response event on household electrification on Thursday 3 September 2026, focusing on Australians who cannot easily pay for or approve home energy upgrades.
The session will run from 2pm to 3pm AEST on Zoom through the Monash Climate Communication Hub. Journalists and media professionals can RSVP to attend, and Monash said it will send the Zoom link in a calendar invitation.
According to Monash, the household-led model that has driven much of Australia’s electrification progress does not work for everyone. The university identified renters, apartment residents, people who share decisions with other residents and households without upfront cash as groups facing extra barriers.
Speakers will examine a common split incentive in rental housing, where a landlord pays for an upgrade but the tenant receives the financial benefit. They will also look at how renters, apartment residents and households without upfront capital can take part in electrification.
Bundling rentals and social housing
The event will also test whether larger programs could unlock more investment by bundling apartment buildings, rental properties or social housing. Monash said the briefing will cover financing models for households that are harder to electrify.
Another topic is the shift away from household gas. Experts will discuss how Australia can make that change without leaving some communities exposed to rising network costs.
Professor Elizabeth Lester, director of the Monash Climate Communication Hub, said, “Australia has made real progress on household electrification, but the challenge is to ensure the benefits are not limited to homeowners with spare cash.”
Lester said the next phase is about finding better ways to pay for technology that already exists, so more households can benefit.
She said, “Not every Australian has the same resources. If we want a fair transition, we need to think seriously about financing, ownership and who gets left carrying the costs.”
Monash said its rapid response series aims to help reporters covering climate and energy stories. The university said the sessions will provide expert-led explanations of emerging developments, context for breaking news coverage, guidance on translating science into accessible reporting, and chances to ask researchers questions directly.
Monash did not name the other experts due to join Lester on 3 September 2026. The university said the event is part of a broader climate and energy briefing series.
