Questions without notice and ministers statements
State Electricity Commission
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. Today the government announced a $245 million spend on a majority Singaporean-owned private sector energy project, which was already proceeding. This money would deliver power saving bonuses to almost 1 million Victorians. Why won’t the Premier help Victorians struggling to pay their power bills in the lead-up to Christmas?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:10): I am delighted to have the Leader of the Opposition ask a question about the big and important announcement by the minister for bringing back the SEC. Let me put the Leader of the Opposition’s mind at rest: it is back. The SEC is well and truly back and making a difference in driving renewable energy projects here in Victoria. The minister for the SEC and I were there this morning with representatives from a range of companies to talk about the establishment and the start of works on the Melbourne renewable energy hub, a site that is going to be home to one of the world’s largest batteries, which in time will have enough storage to provide supply in peak periods to around 200,000 homes, about the equivalent of – if you put all the members of Geelong and Ballarat together, those communities – Geelong and Ballarat.
John Pesutto interjected.
Jacinta ALLAN: The Leader of the Opposition is interjecting on his own question. I am delighted to go to some of the observations that were made this morning by Equis managing director David Russell, who joined the minister and me on this very question of the progress of their project and the difference of having a partnership – he called it a ‘unique’ partnership – with the state of Victoria and how it has made a difference to driving more quickly this investment, to bringing the project online more quickly and the difference it is going to make. Indeed he made comments about how as a result of the confidence that the company and the partners have in the partnership they have with the government through the SEC that they have expanded their equity commitment to the partnership. They also talked about how the partnership with the SEC delivered results more quickly than anticipated. Also he said, and this is a quote:
The partnership resulted in an expansion of the project … which will result in more capacity being put into the system, which will drive down prices.
This is the advice from the industry. It appears the Leader of the Opposition has got a document over there. It appears that he is about to jump up and have a bit to say about David Russell. You know what, whatever clown show is going on over there opposite, we are focusing on delivering.
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): The government claimed that the SEC would deliver ‘cheaper power bills’. Is it now government policy that majority privately owned energy projects, including those owned by international companies, do deliver cheaper power bills?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, you have asked your question. I would ask you to cease interjecting.
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:14): Well, again, maybe the Leader of the Opposition was so busy interjecting in all his excited little ways over there – so busy with his interjection and so keen to get on to his supplementary question – he might have missed some of the comments I provided to the house that were made this morning, because do you know what? I know this is a difficult concept for someone who leads such a divided outfit – they do not know about partnerships on that side of the chamber –
John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question is about whether it is government policy that majority privately owned energy projects do deliver cheaper power bills. I ask you to bring the Premier back – care to join me on your feet?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, have you concluded your point of order?
John Pesutto: On relevance, Speaker, I ask you to draw the Premier back to the question.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, come back to the question that was asked.
Jacinta ALLAN: Why is this project important? I remind the Leader of the Opposition it is bringing more renewable energy into our energy system. It will drive down power prices, which is what David Russell said this morning. He also went on to say that if he could, he would patent the approach of the SEC and apply it across the Asia-Pacific region. This is the advice of experts in the industry, and can I say those opposite privatised the SEC, opposed bringing back the SEC and clearly oppose investment in renewable energy.