Thursday, 4 May 2023

Ministers statements: women in renewable energy

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:27): I rise to update the house on this government’s commitment to creating a safe and secure energy industry for Victorian women. The energy sector has traditionally been male dominated, with a locker room culture in many workplaces, but as we move away from fossil fuels, we are also changing workplace culture through programs to encourage and support more women to join the renewables revolution. About 40 per cent of the employees in renewables are women. This compares to 23 per cent in oil and gas and 16 per cent in coal, and also less than 30 per cent for the Victorian Liberal party room. We have a long way to go, and some have a further way to go than most, but through programs such as Solar Victoria’s Growing Our Clean Energy Workforce we are seeing more women join the renewables industry.

We are providing subsidised apprenticeships, professional mentoring and access to ongoing education for Victorian women entering the solar industry. This is creating safe and secure workplaces for women. It is helping women like Mel, an RACV solar apprentice who changed career to join the rapidly growing renewable energy workforce. The package is inspiring women to join this rapidly growing renewables workforce and also the next generation of women in renewables as we deliver of course on net zero emissions by 2045 and 95 per cent renewables by 2035. It is about helping them to get their fair share of the 59,000 more jobs that we will be creating and accelerating by the introduction of the SEC – bringing that great institution back.

And of course we have reformed Energy Safe Victoria, which is a woman-led commission. They have turned around the culture of the ESV and are making the industry safer for women to work in through their example out in the field. This government always backs women in industry and the workplace.