Wednesday, 5 June 2019

 Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (11:27): On World Environment Day I am absolutely pleased to update the house on our government’s record investment in growing new, clean energy going into our environment and our record funding and planning around improving our biodiversity. Taking action on climate change is good for our environment, it is good for our investment and it is good for jobs, and let nobody say otherwise—absolutely.

Victorians are looking to our government to show leadership—to actually take the actions necessary for us to take full advantage of the opportunities that are with us when it comes to looking after our environment. Our Victorian renewable energy target by 2025, our 40 per cent renewable energy target will create 11 000 jobs in Victoria, most of which will be across regional Victoria. Lifting that target, based on our election commitment, to 50 per cent by 2030 will create even more jobs, more clean energy and drive great investment right across our state.

Since 2014, since we were elected, we have seen 17 new renewable energy projects built in our state because of our policies, and a further 15 new renewable energy projects are now under construction—hundreds of jobs, thousands of jobs, right across Victoria. And let us not forget our Solar Homes program, which will create 5500 jobs, putting clean energy into our system and of course cheaper power prices for Victorians. Reducing our carbon emissions by millions of tonnes is good for our jobs, our environment and investment opportunities for our state. Our biodiversity strategy—record investment of $86 million over four years, with an ongoing $20 million each and every year to make sure that we can do more to improve our biodiversity. While others speak, we act and make sure that we actually deliver on all of our commitments— (Time expired)