Questions without notice and ministers statements
Energy policy
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:02): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Resources. According to the Australian Energy Market Operator, Victorian families and businesses will face gas shortages as early as next winter. Will the minister scrap Labor’s ban on gas?
Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:03): I thank the member of the opposition for his question. Can I just be really clear here: the member would do very well to actually read the report that the market operator has released today. The market operator has been very clear that, in the event that there were some peak demand day shortfalls for gas, they are very confident that with a number of different approaches they can meet any of those gas shortfalls. Certainly that is what the market operator has been very clear about. Anyone who wishes to misinform the broader community about the facts – not ideology, which is what motivates you every single day – would do well to actually read the report, the independent report by experts, to know that there is more than sufficient gas to meet our needs for a number of years.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I do accept the minister’s acknowledgement of shortfalls, but the question was whether the minister would scrap Labor’s ban on gas.
The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant. The minister has concluded her answer.
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:04): The minister was asked during an interview in January if the government would ‘deliberately restrict production of gas’. In response she said, ‘Keep it in the ground, yes.’ Why is Labor restricting the production of gas?
Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:05): Can I just say to that supplementary question, the only ones who worry about the lack of facts are those opposite, because I can be really clear about this –
Members interjecting.
Lily D’AMBROSIO: If they want the answer, perhaps they could listen. We are very, very clear about the need for us to have a plan to manage gas supply in this state, because the fact is this: our resources, our reserves of gas across New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland, are diminishing and are depleting. Acknowledging that fact and planning for it is really critical. It is about keeping energy security in place –
Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I believe the minister is debating the question and ignoring the media release of her own predecessor, which stated that there were potentially significant onshore conventional gas resources –
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Gippsland South! If members wish to raise points of order, I ask them to do it succinctly.
Lily D’AMBROSIO: What I say is that you have got to listen to the experts, and you plan around that. The market operators have listened to the experts. They have done their research, and the report that they have produced today tells us exactly what is ahead of us.