Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Energy policy

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:52): (1486) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Energy and Resources, and the action I seek from the minister is to set down her ideologically driven opposition to Victoria’s onshore conventional gas industry and assist in the relieving of the spiralling energy costs that so many Victorian families and elderly people are struggling to cope with. Once again we see power bills are going up, much to the dismay of individuals, families and the elderly. This government promised to reduce power bills – we have heard it multiple times – yet we are set to see an increase of 120 to 140 per cent by 2030, proof that their energy policies are continuing to fail Victorians. Infrastructure Victoria has made a prediction in its draft 30-year infrastructure strategy with Aurora, and this news will again rip the hearts and the minds out of people who are struggling to pay their bills.

Infrastructure Victoria’s report is based on predictions on the closure of the Latrobe Valley’s coal-fired power stations in my Eastern Victoria electorate. That region has powered this state for a century, and we are very proud that we have been part of that. It is terrible news for mums and dads and the elderly, who are struggling to make ends meet and who are struggling to decide whether they will be able to put two new tyres on the car or will be able to pay a power bill. It is also terrible for our state’s business and industry sectors, who are fighting to remain viable. There is no fat to trim off in these business and industry sectors. Families are desperate for cost-of-living relief, but rather than the minister’s ‘down, down, down’, we have proof that bills are going up, up, up. The average annual household bill in Victoria is set to top out at $2600, all because this government has botched the energy transition. We are not against transition and we are not against renewables. But this government has been doing stunt after stunt, and we have seen it in the SEC – what a stunt. We have seen our power bills soar and we have seen reliability dive. Labor has no new plans for cost-of-living relief. Common sense informs us that gas can play that firming role. In peak demand time gas can play a hugely vital role. We do not want to see this state go off an energy cliff. Minister, I call on you to set down your opposition to gas, support conventional onshore gas and provide that reliability and stability to our system.