Thursday,20 June 2024
Adjournment
Energy policy
Energy policy
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (19:20): (993) My adjournment is to the Minister for Energy and Resources, and the action I seek is that she explain how she will ensure Victorians stay warm this winter and into the future. I do not usually wear a coat in the Parliament, but it has been quite cold today. Far be it for a politician to complain, but it is the reality that many Victorians will be facing this winter and into the future under this Labor government.
As we see today, the Australian Energy Market Operator has warned that critical gas shortages are set to hit Victoria over this winter, according to a new threat alert:
Recent gas supply and demand trends for the southern jurisdictions … potential for gas supply shortfalls due to the depletion of southern storage inventories …
This is very, very concerning. We know that Labor has completely botched our energy system with a shortfall in gas that they have been warned about for some time. Now we are facing immediate shortfalls. An AEMO spokesperson said it had identified potential risk to gas storage levels in parts of the east coast due to high gas generation demand.
Australian Pipelines and Gas Association chief Steve Davies said the industry had been warning about looming shortfalls for half a decade but that little had been done to remedy the situation. Rather, the opposite had occurred and businesses were being asked to pay the price. In the first 19 days of June gas-powered generation in Victoria has already used as much as the entire winter of 2023, but you cannot have gas generation without supply. Mr Davies said:
The extreme lows in renewable generation, particularly wind yields, have meant gas-powered generation has picked up a significantly larger load to keep the lights on and ensure electric homes can remain heated …
Gas is picking up the tab.
Labor have a botched energy policy. Not one new exploration permit has been issued for onshore conventional gas across their decade of power. Their war on gas, their hatred of gas, has left Victorian households very vulnerable this winter, with higher power bills and being left in the cold. Gas will play a critical role into the future. The AEMO report singled Victoria out as the most at risk, forecasting the closure of Yallourn by 2027–28 will exacerbate the state’s issues, and the government still will not tell us what conversations they are having with Yallourn.