Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Energy policy

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:49): My question –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Without assistance! Members will be removed from the chamber.

James NEWBURY: The excitement of the crowd. My question is to the minister for energy. The minister has said:

Very few places are both dealing with such deeply entrenched fossil gas usage, and are tackling it head on as we are.

Does the minister stand by this statement?

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:49): Yes, I do stand by my statements. I say that quite proudly because the reality is this: we are seeing the impacts of climate change each and every day. We have farmers who are facing drought. We have almost every six months now the most violent of storms and high winds that are so destructive to local communities because of climate change. Anyone who pretends that this is not real is absolutely abrogating their responsibilities as elected members of this place. What our government is also committed to is ensuring that when we tackle climate change we take communities with us, we grow the jobs of the future, we provide skills to our young people and those transitioning from one industry to another and we help people with their cost of living so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of a new economy, one that has to be decarbonised. Anything else is absolutely abrogating responsibility as elected members of this house.

I am absolutely committed to the science of climate change. This side of the house is committed to the science of climate change. And, guess what, what we do for climate is absolutely great for communities when we take them with us. The renewable energy transition is reducing our emissions but also, importantly, gives Victoria consistently the lowest wholesale electricity prices in the country. That does not happen by accident. That happens when we have a plan to decarbonise our electricity system, creating 59,000 jobs between now and 2035 and bringing back the SEC to accelerate the renewable energy build. This is how you get it done. It is for families, it is for cost of living, it is for jobs, it is for skills and it is for protecting our environment for future generations, and I am absolutely proud of that.

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:52): The minister has spoken about ‘phasing out our reliance on fossil gas in this state’. When was the minister advised that the Premier was intervening in her portfolio to allow fossil gas connections to continue?

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:52): I will take this question seriously not because it deserves to be taken seriously but because I can tell you absolutely that this government is absolutely determined to have a transition that is manageable –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question. The question was very specific: when was the minister advised?

The SPEAKER: Manager of Opposition Business, I ask you not to repeat the question. The minister has only just started her answer; give her an opportunity to answer the question.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: The assertion that somehow something has changed is laughable and it is absolutely ridiculous. What we have said in the Gas Substitution Roadmap –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is required to be factual, and the answer just contradicted the Premier’s answer to an earlier question.

The SPEAKER: It is not for me to determine if the minister is being factual. The minister to answer the question that was asked.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: We have said all along in the Gas Substitution Roadmap Update, which we released in November last year, that we would consult on options for what to do with gas appliances when they reach their end of life. We have been absolutely consistent. There are many ways to deal with these matters – through regulation, through incentives, through rebates – and what we said is that part of that would be consultation to consider what changes we might make and how quickly – (Time expired)