Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Ministers statements: renewable energy

Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Minister for Planning, Minister for the Suburbs) (14:25): I am absolutely delighted to update the house on the work the Allan Labor government is doing to support a once-in-a-generation energy transition. Navigating the energy transition requires whole-of-government effort. As Minister for Planning I am committed to making better decisions faster to accelerate our path to 95 per cent renewables by 2035 and net zero by 2045. A total of 187 energy generation, storage and transmission projects have already been approved – almost $28 billion in investment. There are another 130 projects in the pipeline, with the potential for massive-scale energy generation. Over the coming years I expect to see more: a greater volume of projects seeking to play a part in renewable energy generation, storage and transmission for all Victorians.

Why are we doing this? Because when it comes to renewable energy, more is better – better for cheaper bills, better for our health and the environment and better for jobs. The Allan Labor government is giving certainty to industry that Victoria is the state to invest in for renewable energy. With coal-fired power stations announcing their closure by 2035, it is absolutely critical for us to continue the strong investment into renewable energy projects, and that is why we are bringing back the SEC, led by my terrific colleague the Minister for the State Electricity Commission. We will be keeping the lights on, keeping the bills down and delivering 100 per cent renewable energy. We are also ending gas connections for new homes requiring a planning permit from 1 January next year, putting more money back into the pockets of more Victorians, giving more households access to cheaper, cleaner and healthier all-electric homes. By working together we can build a renewable energy future that serves all Victorians. But as the rest of the world is transitioning away from fossil fuel, those fossils opposite – (Time expired)

Darren Cheeseman interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for South Barwon, it is inappropriate to be yelling across the chamber when your colleague is on their feet.