Tuesday, 15 August 2023
Business of the house
Program
Program
That, under standing order 94(2), the orders of the day, government business, relating to the following bills be considered and completed by 5Â pm on 17 August 2023:
Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill 2023.
It is good to be back in the house. I always relish the opportunity to stand here as a member of our progressive Andrews Labor government. We have got a full legislative program, but we also have a lot of work that we get on with and deliver every day in our communities when we are back in our electorates, working with our communities, making sure that we are in touch with the issues that are important to them, and we bring those to the house when and where required in order to enact the legislation that is important to the people of Victoria.
I hope that all members of the house will find it within themselves to support the government business program. I note the Manager of Opposition Business’s previous expression of a desire for members of this house to debate the budget take-note motion, which is listed under government business, and I am delighted to say that if time should allow this week, we will go back to that motion. I know that there remain many members on this side of the house who very much look forward to the opportunity that that take-note motion gives for them to rise to their feet and talk directly about the way in which our government’s budget delivers on each and every one of our election commitments and continues that commitment that we made to the people of this state back in November 2022 to deliver on those commitments. It is an opportunity to talk about the way in which not just the budget but indeed the increasing legacy that our government delivers to the people of Victoria impacts people within their own communities. It is always a great debate.
Now, with respect to the bills that are before us, I will make a few comments. In terms of the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 there could be no doubt that there is no other government in this country that has done so much in such a short period of time to absolutely reform our energy markets and to take the real, live existential threat of climate change as seriously as this government. We have demonstrated time and time again a commitment to transforming energy generation in this nation, and this bill is part of that theme.
Of course, as people in the house already know, we comfortably surpassed our 2020 renewable energy target of 20 per cent, we increased our 2030 renewable energy target from 50 per cent to 65 per cent, and as a government we will continue to be ambitious as we work towards 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035. There are those, perhaps on the other side of the house and in other places, who said it could not be done. Well, we have demonstrated that with determination, political will and the preparedness to go out to the community – to respond to the needs of the community and to work with the community – you can take real action on climate change and you can transform an energy market from coal-fired power to renewable energy, and that is just what we have done. Our Minister for Energy and Resources in this place is the most consequential energy minister of the time, and this will only go to confirm the role that she will play and rightfully hold in the history books when it comes to looking to governments that took real action on climate change.
We will also be talking about the Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill 2023. Now, I expect that there will be many speakers on this bill. There will be many people who will take the opportunity, perhaps also particularly on the other side of the house, and I look to the Manager of Opposition Business. I look forward to his effusive comments in relation to the bill, and I think he is in fact the lead speaker on the bill. Of course we have many, many acts that reference –
James Newbury: I’m not. Sadly, I’m not.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Oh, aren’t you?
James Newbury: Sorry to disappoint you.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Oh, well, I am disappointed. But this is an important bill. It is important that we amend references in our legislation from ‘Her Majesty’ to ‘His Majesty’, and that is indeed what the bill will do. I commend the government business program to the house.
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:23): The coalition will be opposing the government business program. What concerns the coalition is that the very first item the government has listed for debate this week is another motion. The government has provided advice to the community, to Parliament and to the coalition that the very first thing that they will be debating today is a motion – another motion. In fact it is the seventh motion we will have dealt with in this chamber. What I know that the members on the other side of the house will know quietly – they may not be saying it loudly – is that the government has spent more time debating motions than the budget bills and the budget. The government are so proud of this budget that they are introducing motions that are completely unrelated to the budget and spending parliamentary time each and every week debating those motions. As I have said in this chamber before, every member on this side of the chamber wants to speak on the budget – every single member. We absolutely want to speak on the budget, and we have had no opportunity. We have all got things to say because all of our communities were left out of the budget. All of our communities were left out.
So I note the comments made by the Leader of the House that the budget take-note motion may be debated this week. It may be. But I know that everybody, as I look around that side of the chamber, wants to speak about the budget, and they have not had the opportunity. Why? Because another motion has been introduced into this place that is unrelated to the budget or any legislative program. I share their disappointment. Members, I share your disappointment, and I would say to you that you need to lean on the Leader of the House. The other side of the chamber should lean on the Leader of the House and say, ‘Why can’t we debate the budget? Why can’t we? Our crowning glory of the year – why can’t we debate our budget?’ I think it is a question all of us are asking in this chamber, and the obvious answer, as we know, is it was a dud.
Danny O’Brien: It’s a shocker.
James NEWBURY: It was a shocker. It is a series of new taxes that are going to hurt a lot of people in this community. So the very first priority of the government today on their government business program is another motion. Well, I will also note that six motions the government has moved, which I have previously referred to as sledge motions, have been debated so far – six – and there are three more in line which I am sure will see the light of day. One of the ministers introduced one earlier, and I am sure that will be spoken to tomorrow. I am sure that is on tomorrow’s agenda.
Six government motions have been debated so far this term. Three are on the list from the government to be debated shortly, I am sure. And how many non-government motions are there of the 30 that are on the notice paper? Zero. Of the 30, zero, including important motions about ensuring that we all speak out strongly about antisemitism, and I am sure this house should be making that message loud and clear to the community. I am sure that we all would support a motion of that nature, and I would say to the government: please, if you are considering the scheduling timetable for this week and further motions rather than any legislative agenda, I call on you to consider – through the Speaker, of course – an opportunity for this house to speak about important issues of antisemitism, not only in relation to policy but in relation to the university-related report that was released today, which I am sure is deeply distressing to the whole community. This house, if it is spending time on motions, should certainly be spending time on that motion. It is an important priority this house should consider.
But the coalition will be opposing the government business program because frankly there is no legislative agenda. I think that case has been made clear. The government are now refusing to speak to their own budget, and I am sure that members on both sides of the chamber understand why that is the case, why no-one wants to bring up the name of the budget and allow opportunity to speak on that. We are going to spend time again on some motion some minister has moved, and frankly our parliamentary time should be used in other ways. For that reason we will be opposing the government business program.
Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (12:28): It gives me great pleasure to rise in support of the government business program today. Once again we have got an incredibly important piece of legislation coming up for debate, which speaks to the real and rapid transition our state is making to delivering a clean energy future. Today that is the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, an omnibus bill that amends the National Electricity (Victoria) Act 2005 and the National Gas (Victoria) Act 2008 to deliver better outcomes for Victorian energy consumers.
The Minister for Climate Action has been absolutely unrelenting in her ambition to drive forward the reforms that are needed as part of Victoria’s energy transition, and we have seen that week after week with energy legislation coming through the Parliament modernising aspect after aspect of our energy sector to give effect to Labor’s fundamental goal of a safe, affordable, reliable and clean supply of energy for Victorians. This bill is yet another example of that – another example of us getting on with the job of legislating the necessary changes to Victorian laws as we work towards our targets to run the state on 95 per cent renewables by 2035 and hit net zero emissions by 2045. Our electricity system is undergoing a fundamental technological transformation. Unreliable, dirty coal-fired generators are exiting the market and this year –
The SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Northcote that it is not appropriate to pre-empt debate on the bill.
Kat THEOPHANOUS: Thank you. This year rooftop solar has generated nearly five times the power generated by gas in Victoria – we are well on our way. But we also need our laws and our regulations to keep pace with that, and that is why this legislation – this government business program – is so very important. The Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 introduces some vital decision-making criteria and consultation safeguards to be used in the event that the Victorian minister needs to trigger the retailer reliability obligation framework in response to an emerging risk of significant electricity disruption. The RRO puts in place responsibilities on retailers and large customers to secure contracts with electricity producers during periods of forecast lack of supply. So it is literally a bill about keeping the lights on – what could be more important than that? Not only that, but it is about accountability too. It enables regulations to be made in relation to Victoria’s wholesale gas market.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I again remind the member for Northcote that she is going into the weeds of the bill, which is not appropriate, and to come back to debating the government business program.
Kat THEOPHANOUS: I think every Victorian would be interested in ensuring that our laws reflect the environment that we are now entering in terms of our action on climate change, and that requires changes to our legislation in the form of bills in this house. That is why we have put this on the government business program today.
There are of course other matters to be debated this week. If we have got time, the budget take-note motion is there, and that does allow members to elucidate the impact of strong Labor budgets and what they have done to deliver for our communities, whether that is in health care, education, transport, jobs or the creation of landmark decisions like bringing back the SEC. I am sure there is going to be, as well, some lively discourse in the government business program debate on the ins and outs of our constitutional monarchy as we consider the Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill 2023. I am sure there will be contributions from both sides that we will all listen to. We will all gain a better understanding of that bill, why it has been brought forward and what people are thinking about it as we look to the future and how we redefine ourselves going forward.
I think this is a fantastic business program. There are many and varied opportunities for members to contribute thoughtfully and respectfully on issues that matter to Victorians, whether that is about our energy sector and our transition to renewables and having better consumer protections, whether it is about the vital investments we are making in the budget, whether it is about level crossing removals or whether it is just about making sure our statute books are accurate. I support the government business program.
Martin CAMERON (Morwell) (12:33): I rise for the first time to talk on the government business program. As the Manager of Opposition Business said, the coalition will be opposing the business program this week.
It is very nice to be able to talk about the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023. Down in the heart of the Latrobe Valley, in the seat of Morwell, where I come from – the hub of making energy for Victoria – it is a topic that we talk about often, and it is nice that we can get up and actually talk about these bills. But it is a very, very thin program when we are talking about technical changes within the energy sector. A lot of them have come up in the past few weeks, which we have debated. I know on this side of the house, and especially among regional members, we do like to stand up and debate the energy legislation bills as they come in. Sometimes we feel that the time line between our current energy source and heading into renewables is a very, very tight program, so we do like being able to get up and put forward not only our thoughts but the thoughts of the people of the Latrobe Valley.
Speaking about that, being able to, as we heard before, get back to talking on the budget take-note motion, that is the pressing issue of the day with people that come into my office and in correspondence that I receive. I know we need to talk about the energy legislation and to make changes there, but we need to also respect the thoughts and the concerns of our constituents and what they want us to be talking about here in the chamber, and that is the right to talk on the budget take-note motion about the cost of living and funding for actual places and programs in the Latrobe Valley – and I use the Youth Space program in the seat of Morwell that has not been funded within the budget as an example. We need to be able to get up and actually talk about these programs and the impact that the budget is having on the general public – you know, the average punter on the street. It is very hard for them to make ends meet and to put food on the table and, as part of the energy legislation, as we heard before, to keep the lights on. They are having to make choices.
I know we are super excited to stand up and talk about statute law instead of about the budget take-note motion. Well, I think it is the other way around: we should be getting our chance to talk about what the people want from us inside this chamber to make their lives a little bit easier. It is going to be fantastic, and I am sure everyone will be geed-up to talk about statute law and formally changing the name of the Queen to the King. That is going to be super exciting. I know it is stuff that needs to be done to make sure that we are in line and everything is running properly in the house, but I also think that surely the government can come up with some other things that we can debate here – things that the actual, as I said before, Joe Public, the man on the street, the lady on the street, the families that are doing it tough, want us to bring here to Parliament to debate.
I notice that the Manager of Opposition Business does say that we will be opposing the government’s business program most weeks. That is because the government business program is super thin and it gives us nothing to talk about realistically. We want to get our teeth into legislation that is going to make a difference for the public – for the people in the seat of Morwell and the Latrobe Valley, for regional Victorians around the place – stuff that is really concerning them. I know we are going to be talking about the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 and statute law also, and I am pumped about all this type of stuff, but let us get on board with what the general public wants us to talk about: the budget, what we missing out on and how hard it is with the cost of living at the moment.
Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (12:38): It is my pleasure to rise in support of the government business program for this coming week. We do have two important bills to debate: the Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill 2023 and the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023. The Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill is not the most earth-shattering piece of legislation which has been brought into this house to be debated; that is undeniable. It is not legislation which will make a material difference to the lives of Victorians per se, but it is important nonetheless, because accuracy is important.
Statute law amendment is a longstanding and common feature of parliamentary legislative practice. It has the purpose of addressing formal issues. It makes editorial changes and modernises drafting styles. It is important to be correct. The bill is going to change all references to ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ to ‘His Majesty the King’ across all effective legislation in our state. That will ensure that our acts are accurate and will reflect that the head of state now is a man, namely, King Charles III. The old history teacher in me has to say that it is interesting that four times this has occurred since Victoria was a state – four times we have had a change in gender of the head of state. The first time was in 1837, and if you want to find the time before that, you need to go back 234 years in history to the death of Queen Elizabeth I. It does not happen that often. It is happening now. We need to deal with it, and we will.
Moving on to the second bill up for debate, the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 is an omnibus bill, and it is designed to strengthen the electricity and gas regulatory framework. The changes will enhance the protections afforded to energy consumers, which is practically each and every Victorian. Therefore, in my humble opinion, it is quite important legislation. The Minister for Energy and Resources has been driving an incredibly positive and full program of reform of legislation in terms of the future of energy in Victoria, and that is absolutely to be commended. As you have already heard, the bill will amend the National Electricity (Victoria) Act 2005 to establish Victorian-specific controls for the retailer reliability obligation ministerial instrument, and it will also amend the National Gas (Victoria) Act 2008 to provide the Australian Energy Regulator access to higher penalties in response to non-compliance by participants in Victoria’s wholesale gas market. Now, that might not sound terribly exciting for everyone here, but it is crucial and critical for this state that we have legislation which keeps pace with the needs of our state now and into the future. There are very, very few people in this state who are completely off the grid and do not rely on electricity and gas, so I do not think we can say that it is thin to be debating this.
In addition, we have two motions, including the budget take-note motion – which is being brought on, so let us clear up any confusion there. That will continue from the previous sitting weeks. I have to say there have been some excellent contributions in terms of that. I will admit I was slightly daunted when I saw I had to speak for 15 minutes on it, only to find out I completely ran out of time and could have kept going on and on, because we had so much there, people. We had so much there, and I am really looking forward to the future contributions to be made in this regard.
Some of these debates will be without much controversy. I cannot see there being a lot of battling over the statute law amendment changes, for sure. Others will invite a more rigorous exchange, and that is a wonderful thing. That is what this place is for. The word ‘parliament’ is derived from the French word ‘parlement’ – excuse me if my pronunciation is off – and it is literally a translation of the word ‘speaking’. We certainly do a lot of that in this place, so I tell you what: if there was ever a workplace that was aptly named, it is this one.
When I last participated in this government business program debate, I did say I was looking forward to hearing the contributions from all the members in this chamber – government, opposition, every seat occupied here – and I am pleased to say that still remains the case. I am always keen to hear the contested ideas and insights brought into here. We all have our own stories, we all have our own experiences. We are the voices for our electorates – all so different. I am sure there is not a single one of us who would disagree with the fact that we all believe our electorate is completely unique. So we all walk in here with their voices as we speak, and that is a fabulous thing. Bring on the debate, bring on the motions, let us have a contest of ideas – that is what we are here for.
The SPEAKER: The member for Narracan, who has moved seats.
Wayne FARNHAM (Narracan) (12:43): Apparently I have been promoted or demoted – I do not know, but I have come down a seat. I am happy to rise today on the government business program. I would like to think I was excited about it, but I do not feel that excited about the program at this point in time. It seems to me that the government is really, really struggling for ideas at the moment. I think it is pertinent to point out that we are only in this chamber 16 weeks a year, three days a week, so what we really need to do is make the most of that time. I think Victorians deserve better; they deserve real debate on real issues that matter to them. As the member for Brighton stated earlier, we should really be debating the budget and continuing to debate the budget, because it has affected so many Victorians. Even in the last sitting week, we were talking about the Commonwealth Games and what that is going to cost Victorians.
But what is really concerning me is the fact that back in March Porter Davis Homes went broke and cost thousands of Victorians money – a lot of money. The government had to stump up $15 million as well. I am amazed that even now we still have not introduced a bill to protect consumers in the construction industry. We have ignored the problems of construction – and it is not getting any better. Week after week there are builders going into liquidation. That is affecting everyday Victorians. It is affecting their dreams. I would have thought the government would have got its act together and introduced a bill along those lines. I understand we have to do the Statute Law Amendment (References to the Sovereign) Bill 2023, but honestly, let the government speak, let the opposition speak and just move it on. It is not so critical that it should take up all the time. I am so concerned about the Victorians at the moment who are really doing it tough, and we should be debating legislation that affects them, those people that are struggling. I have over 1000 people in my community at the moment that cannot get a home. We should be introducing bills that really affect everyday Victorians and change their lives.
The Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 – I am always happy to rise and talk about energy. I love talking about energy, with my background, but the problem with this is I have listened to the commentary on energy, what a wonderful job they are doing and that it is going to bring the price of energy down – but it has not. No-one in this chamber can tell me today that their electricity bill or their gas bill has dropped in price – no-one. Every bill the government has put forward on energy to date has driven the costs up. The cost of living is out of control. People cannot afford to pay their energy bills at the moment, and then we are talking about getting rid of gas. We have not got the foundation right on renewables to get rid of gas, so I do not know why the government keeps pushing this agenda. Do it step by step, do it methodically, but introduce bills into this house that are worthy of debate. Introduce bills into this house that are going to help everyday Victorians and improve their lives.
We still do not have a resolution to the Commonwealth Games debacle, and that would be nice for Victorians to know. I do not know, but if you sign a contract, I would have thought you would know the exit clause before you sign the contract so people actually know what it is going to cost – but apparently not. I can only put this one way: the government needs to pull its finger out with the limited time we have in this house and put forward bills that really do help everyday Victorians. They are the bills I want to debate. They are the bills I am happy to go toe to toe on with the government across the chamber. I would love the government to put forward some bills that have some context, some bills that actually matter to Victorians, not the bills that we have got to debate today. They are pretty wishy-washy bills. I think the government are extremely tired, and they have run out of ideas because week in, week out we have to debate this stuff. This is why we oppose the government business program.
The SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Narracan about inappropriate, unparliamentary language.
A member interjected.
The SPEAKER: Indeed. The question is that the government business program be agreed to.
Assembly divided on motion:
Ayes (52): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Darren Cheeseman, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Paul Edbrooke, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Martha Haylett, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Lauren Kathage, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Tim Pallas, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Noes (25): Brad Battin, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Annabelle Cleeland, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bill Tilley, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Jess Wilson
Motion agreed to.