Planning policy
Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:29): A paper published in Nature Medicine last month calculated that 61,000 people died in last year’s brutal heatwave in Europe. Sorry, my question, Speaker, is to the Minister for Planning, and I will start again. So 61,000 people died in last year’s brutal heatwave in Europe. Now there are heatwaves and fires in the Northern Hemisphere again. Wisely in July last year 24 councils representing around half our population submitted an amendment to elevate environmentally sustainable development in Victoria’s planning scheme. The ESD targets in this amendment will cut building emissions and power bills and better protect Victorians from extreme heat. These councils have done a lot of work so that local governments can meet their sustainability targets, but the amendment has been sitting on the minister’s desk for over a year. Why won’t the minister approve their amendment when the world has just had its hottest July ever?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The Assistant Treasurer is warned.
Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Minister for Planning, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:30): I thank the member for his question. First of all, the commitment by CASBE and MAV to support local planning schemes’ ESD is to be acknowledged. My first priority is finalising implementation of the ESD road map. As you know, it is the Andrews Labor government that is continuing to work so very hard with our incredible Minister for Climate Action on decarbonising Victoria’s economy, including through the implementation of the gas substitution road map. Of course I was delighted to join with the minister last Friday in our announcement that from 1 January 2024 no new homes, no new subdivisions, requiring a planning permit from 1 January 2024 will be connected to the gas reticulation system.
This is a significant step. It is a significant step in our ESD road map, in our gas substitution road map, in reducing emissions and continuing the incredible work of the Andrews Labor government in aiming for our reduction targets – eventually, of course, net zero by 2045. But it is also important to remember that the work we are doing with emissions reduction goes to cost of living. We are talking about reducing energy prices that are being borne by Victorian consumers, by Victorian households. Moving and transitioning Victorians across to electricity means that we are reducing the cost to them of heating and cooling their homes.
We are taking real action on this side to reduce our emissions. We are taking real action on climate change. We are taking real action to support Victorians and their cost of living, and of course we continue to champion the next stage of the National Construction Code 2025. In May next year we will be implementing the new energy standards – that is, the 7-star energy standards that will be required for all new builds as well as the livable standards that are going to ensure that people with mobility issues have housing choice.
We are continuing to work on the next stages of our ESD road map and, as I said, that will be my priority for the best part of this year. I continue to work with our minister for climate action and energy to ensure that we are working towards reducing emissions but at the same time ensuring that we are supporting Victorians with their cost of living and of course growing jobs, ensuring that we have got jobs in this new emerging market and industry.
Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:33): First of all, I commend the government and the minister for the move to prevent new gas connections beyond 1 January, which I believe was part of this amendment. I think it is absolutely a no-brainer to do this. I go further –
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for half an hour.
Member for Frankston withdrew from chamber.
Tim READ: and thank the minister for referring to the cost-of-living crisis which is accompanying the climate crisis. Adopting this amendment will shrink people’s energy bills while at the same time reducing their carbon emissions. Given that the government has really done the hard work of announcing an end to new gas connections, this amendment seems to be the next logical step, so it would be great to get a time line from the minister about when this amendment might be approved.
Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Minister for Planning, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:34): Again, I thank the member for his supplementary question. As I said, my priority now is on working towards the implementation of the ESD road map here in Victoria. That will be my priority for the better part of this year. I absolutely acknowledge and commend CASBE and MAV for their work that they have done and for their commitment also in seeking to reduce the cost of living and of course reduce our emissions. I am going to continue to work with all of the stakeholders and with my colleague the minister for climate action and for energy as we work towards the implementation of the ESD road map, which is going to bring about significant changes to Victoria. It is going to support cost-of-living measures. It is going to help us achieve our energy emissions reduction as we lead the nation in this. (Time expired)