Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Statements on tabled papers and petitions

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Annual Report 2023–24

Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (17:21): President, thank you so very much for giving me the opportunity this evening to speak on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s (DEECA) annual report 2023–24, which reflects on a year of remarkable progress and is one that I am sure will be eclipsed only by the 2024–25 report, which will be released later this year. This report is a testament to the Allan Labor government’s bold leadership in creating an affordable, renewable and secure energy future for all Victorians under the direction of a Labor government which is committed to tackling both cost-of-living pressures and climate action.

DEECA is taking nation-leading action to drive down household energy bills and reduce our state’s carbon emissions. This past year we brought forward Victoria’s net zero target from 2050 to 2045. We had the confidence to make this change partly because of the strong uptake of the Victorian energy upgrades program and Solar Victoria discounts and loans, which will save Victorians thousands of dollars in yearly energy bills while also reducing their household emissions. In the period covered by this report we approved a record 78,626 rebate applications for households to install solar panels and energy-efficient hot-water systems.

We also brought back the SEC, and everyone here knows how proud I was to vote to enshrine the SEC in the Victorian constitution late last year. In fact just last week I joined a team from the SEC at the Buninyong Smart Living Expo, and it was so encouraging, I must say, to chat with so many locals at the expo and share in their excitement about the revived SEC. So many people shared fond memories of the SEC before it was broken up and sold off by those opposite. Quite a few people could even sing the jingle from the old SEC ads. That was quite a hoot, I have got to tell you. People in Buninyong were particularly excited about the SEC’s new one-stop shop. I will spare you all my singing voice, but I will tell you that folks were excited by already taking advantage of the pilot areas in the one-stop shop in Merri-bek, Casey and Ballarat to make the switch to cheaper electric power when they are ready to replace their old home appliances. The one-stop shop offers personalised support via the electric home planner tool, which can tell you what government discounts you might be eligible for and link consumers with the SEC’s verified installer network, which helps them make a stress-free switch to cheaper electric power to start slashing their bills from day 1. The bill savings generated by the SEC and the one-stop shop are so important because cost-of-living support and energy affordability are at the heart of our renewable energy transition.

In addition to spreading the good news about the SEC and Buninyong, last week I had the privilege of observing another Labor government cost-of-living support scheme when I visited a Cohealth team who administer the government’s energy assistance program in Victoria’s public housing complexes. The energy assistance program is a free service which provides personalised support to households struggling with energy bills. Whether it is applying for concessions, accessing hardship programs or understanding energy bills, the program ensures that no-one is left behind.

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Let me just say I am personally very grateful to Steven from the Cohealth team who volunteered some of his time to review my energy bills using the Victorian government’s Energy Compare website. In the space of just a short conversation Steven’s energy assistance program expertise saved me hundreds of dollars per year on my energy bills. I talked to a number of residents in that public housing tower who absolutely raved about the support they had received from the Cohealth team. A big shout-out to workers like Steven. You enjoy my deep thanks. You make a difference to our great state each and every day. As Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Action, I have a lot of interactions with DEECA staff, and I know firsthand just how dedicated they are. Let me give a special shout-out to Jess and the team from the Buninyong stall, who were champions for the SEC, and to Naomi, Carl and Aaron who helped facilitate my time at the Cohealth site. This state is a better place because of your service, and the DEECA annual report is a testament to that fact.