Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Ministers statements: energy policy

Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:08): I am proud to update the house on this government’s world-leading emissions reduction targets. Today we officially set Victoria’s 2035 interim targets to slash our emissions by 75 to 80 per cent and we are the first jurisdiction in Australia to set a 2035 emissions target. By meeting this target, our economy will be more than $63 billion better off. We will also create tens of thousands of jobs and deliver lower energy prices for Victoria.

Since coming to government in 2014 we have cut emissions by more than any other state in the country, smashing our 2020 target, and we are not slowing down. In fact we are decarbonising at one of the fastest rates in the world and we are bringing forward net zero to 2045. We will continue to drive down emissions because our targets are backed by strong action across all sectors of our economy.

We have already tripled the amount of energy that comes from renewable sources and by 2035 we will make 95 per cent of our energy renewable, accelerated by us bringing back the SEC. And we are cutting transport emissions by helping Victorians switch to zero-emission vehicles and to carbonising public transport. We are planting millions of trees to store carbon and we are helping our farmers to reduce their emissions, both of which are protecting our environment and protecting of course our vital agricultural exports. We are driving the creation of a circular economy, slashing our waste emissions.

There are some who simply want to spurt out words that make no real difference. They think that is a good job well done – a good job well done. Then there are those who do nothing or worse still, want to go nuclear, which will only put our environment at risk and send our power bills skyrocketing. I ask: why would anyone want to do that? Not this government – we are getting on with it. Victorians are absolutely behind us: big ambition – (Time expired)