Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Energy policy

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (09:56): The 10-year gas monopoly under Labor is pushing up gas prices, and people in western Victoria are paying the price. We have seen –

Lily D’Ambrosio interjected.

Emma KEALY: Oh, here we go. We have got the Minister for Energy and Resources, who has actually come to the table, questioning: is there a gas monopoly? We know that there is a gas monopoly. I have written to the minister on how many occasions about the gas monopoly. She will not address it, and now she does not even know about it. This is the level of ignorance we have got from Labor. Under Labor we have seen a 435 per cent increase in gas prices for people in western Victoria, and because of the gas monopoly they are unable to shop around for better prices, they are unable to get a pay-on-time discount or a discount for having an e-bill. There is no ability to shop around at all, and these people are paying the price. I therefore call on the minister who is at the table, who pleads ignorance about this issue – which is complete and utter nonsense – to listen to the people of Victoria, to help take the pressure off cost of living in western Victoria and to make sure that they are no longer paying the price for this inept government.