Wednesday, 21 June 2023

 Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:39): I am very pleased to update the house on how our $250 power saving bonus is actually helping Victorians with their cost of living. We have now reached 1.5 million applications for our fourth round of the bonus. 55,000 of those applications have come through the very important community outreach program. Partnerships with community organisations are making sure that regardless of where people live and their circumstances they are able to get that money in their pockets and give themselves bill relief.

I do note that we had the Brotherhood of St Laurence – one of those great partners – out here in Queen’s Hall doing fantastic work helping those in need right across the state. Since July 2021 we have delivered three rounds of the bonus. More than 850,000 concession card holders have received power saving bonus number 2, and 1.85 million Victorians have received it under round 3. With the current round now reaching 1.5 million applications, we have provided more than $900 million in bill relief to Victorians in just these two years.

Daniel Andrews: And better deals.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: Better deals too, absolutely. The upcoming bonus of course is there, and with our agreement with the Commonwealth there is an extra $250 in their pocket, which means concession card holders in the last two years are getting $1000 of relief in their pockets.

Daniel Andrews: Hear, hear!

Lily D’AMBROSIO: Absolutely.

It is about leadership and it is about doing what matters. It is about real dollars in the pockets of Victorians through the power saving bonus and through of course our Solar Homes program, and it is also why we are bringing back the SEC – because we know that when we accelerate more renewable energy supply into the market, we put downward pressure on wholesale prices and people’s bills. It is about doing that, making sure that Victorians have control over their own costs, and our government backing them every step of the way. It is about doing what matters.