Bill paving the way for wind energy passes

Following debate in the Legislative Council the Energy and Public Land Legislation Amendment (Enabling Offshore Wind Energy) Bill 2024 has now gone to the Governor for Royal Assent. 

In her second reading speech in the Legislative Assembly Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D'Ambrosio said the passage of the bill would ‘provide offshore wind project proponents with greater certainty and continuity to undertake their project planning and design from Commonwealth waters through to the onshore connection point into the Victorian electricity grid’. 

Victoria has legislated offshore wind energy targets of at least 2 gigawatts by 2032, 4 gigawatts by 2035 and 9 gigawatts by 2040

Member for Southern Metropolitan David Davis moved amendments on behalf of the opposition to set a ‘fit and proper person test’ for offshore wind licensees and to require adequate consultation with local communities.

‘No-one is opposed to a significant role for offshore wind, but it has got to be done in conjunction with local communities, it has got to be done in a way that recognises significant landscapes and significant seascapes and it has got to be done in a way that actually is cost effective and in a way that actually recognises that offshore wind is just one component of the energy mix that we have going forward,’ he told the Legislative Council. 

Jacinta Ermacora, Member for Western Victoria said the bill ‘begins the journey of establishing an accountable regulatory framework for offshore wind in our state so that communities can have their say, so that traditional owners can have their say and to ensure our environment is protected through the assessment process, through the approvals process, through the construction process and through the operation of the energy generators’.

“ No-one is opposed to a significant role for offshore wind, but it has got to be done in conjunction with local communities. ”

David Davis, Member for Southern Metropolitan

Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath said the Star of the South offshore wind project had found the area off the coast of South Gippsland to be one of the windiest places on earth. 

'Indeed Star of the South has the potential to produce 20 per cent of Victoria’s electricity needs and create thousands of jobs,’ she said.

“ [The bill] begins the journey of establishing an accountable regulatory framework for offshore wind in our state so that communities can have their say. ”

Jacinta Ermacora, Member for Western Victoria

Member for Southern Metropolitan Ryan Batchelor said the bill ‘will provide a very clear pathway for proponents of offshore wind feasibility licence holders to undertake and align related feasibility assessments in Victoria’.

'Importantly, the licence regime that this legislation seeks to establish will provide an opportunity for the government to continue to have a guiding and coordinating role in the placement of connection assets so that there is a sense that where there may be various licence-holders under Commonwealth law it provides the capacity for the Victorian government to play a facilitating role in connecting those through to the grid,’ he said.

“ Indeed Star of the South has the potential to produce 20 per cent of Victoria’s electricity needs and create thousands of jobs, ”

Melina Bath,Member for Eastern Victoria

Western Victoria MP Sarah Mansfield described the legislation as ‘overdue and much needed’ but said ‘we also put serious consideration into whether we believe these checks and balances that will interact with this legislation are currently fit for purpose when it comes to providing environmental and cultural protections. Our concern is that they are not, and there are countless examples of where these checks and balances have found in favour of the destruction of precious environmental assets.’ 

The full debate is available to read in Hansard.