Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Energy policy

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:37): My question is to the minister for energy. The minister has claimed that gas stoves increase the ‘risk of childhood asthma and respiratory illness’. Is it government policy that gas stoves pose a health risk, especially to children?

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:38): I thank the member for his question. It would be great to actually understand exactly where he is commenting from, because we know –

Members interjecting.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: Just relax, mate. Just relax. Just take a chill pill.

The SPEAKER: Order! Through the Chair.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: My apologies, Speaker. There is commentary from medical experts around this very question. But can I just say what is really critical here is that we have a clear program and agenda for helping Victorians to save money on their energy bills. That is what is really critical here.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance – without repeating the question – the minister has not addressed the substance of the specific question.

The SPEAKER: I will give the minister an opportunity to answer the question. She has only just commenced her answer.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: I have been very clear that there has been much commentary about the health impacts of gas appliances in homes where there is insufficient ventilation, and there are a whole range of reasons that contribute to that. The fact of the matter is this, and this is why we have been very clear: we have had a very clear agenda to help Victorians save on their energy bills. We know that one important way for them to do that in an environment where we are running low on gas –

James Newbury: On a further point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question related to the minister’s tweet on 11 December 2023, and I ask you to bring the minister to the actual question.

The SPEAKER: I think the minister has already answered the question, but I will give her an opportunity to come back to further answering the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: I have been very clear on this. Our government is very committed to ensuring that we support families in the transition towards renewable energy. What that means is that, in an environment where gas is depleting in terms of the source of supply for Victorians, it is vital that governments do not –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question asked whether it is government policy that gas stoves pose a health risk, especially to children.

The SPEAKER: I am aware of the question, Manager of Opposition Business. The minister to come back to the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: Can I also say that our agenda is very clear. We have worked every single day to grow an electricity supply that is renewable, that is clean, that is safe, that supports 59,000 jobs between now and 2035, that supports a smooth transition to decarbonising our energy system –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question and is not in any way being relevant to the substance of the question. I ask you to bring her back to the question.

The SPEAKER: I ask the minister to come back to the question that was asked.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: There has been much debate and conversation and much information from many, many medical practitioners about how to have a safer home. That goes to many, many questions, and gas is one of those. That is absolutely the case. I have been very clear on this, and I stand by my tweets absolutely. But what I say to everyone here in this house is that we have to have a program that transitions people to renewable electricity because we know it is the safest way to create new energy supply, that we are running out of gas and that we need to of course give people the means to be able to transition to electric appliances, because we know that it is cheaper for them to run their homes on cheaper renewable electricity. And it is absolutely the –

Peter Walsh: On a further point of order, Speaker, I would ask you to bring the minister back to actually answering the question about her comments and whether they are government policy, rather than a lecture on her inability to manage the energy system.

The SPEAKER: The minister will come back to answering the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: Our policies are there for everyone to see. We announce our policies as is appropriate and as we deem them. I can certainly give the member advice about what our policy is on growing renewable electricity, because we know that it is the best form and the cheapest form of new energy supply that you can have.

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:43): The minister, despite admitting that she does not have a medical degree, publicly asserted that –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will come to order. The Manager of Opposition Business will state his supplementary question without assistance.

James NEWBURY: Can I restate the question, Speaker?

The SPEAKER: You can state the question.

James NEWBURY: The minister, despite admitting that she does not have a medical degree, publicly asserted that ‘gas combustion in the home is not good for your health’. Is this still the minister’s position?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Based on the substantive question, I approve the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:44): I thank the member for the supplementary question. What is really important is that we are evidence based in the comments that we make, rather than the ideology that those opposite profess every single day.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The minister is being entirely relevant to the question that was put to her, and it is very difficult to hear the minister because of the endless shouting over women that we see from those on the other side of the house.

The SPEAKER: I reminded members yesterday – and I will do it again today – that disrespectful behaviour in this chamber is becoming out of control. The minister to be relevant to the question that was asked and also to not debate the question.

Peter Walsh: Further to the point of order, Speaker, it was not an issue of relevance, it was an issue of the minister debating the question.

The SPEAKER: I am aware of that, and I asked the minister to come back to the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: I would be very pleased to deal with the question, absolutely. There are medical opinions that all of us rely on from time to time to support policy positions within this government. I make no apologies for that. Medical advice is absolutely critical to informing good policy decisions and good outcomes. That is absolutely important. My comments are there for everyone to see. They are backed by the medical evidence and advice, and, you know what, I am absolutely delighted to be backed by the science. I back the science every single day. That is my answer: I back the science every single day.