Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:15): I want to wish everyone a very happy International Women’s Day week and say how our government is backing women in the growing renewables industry. Our energy transition is creating 67,000 jobs in Victoria, and we are helping more girls and women to get into this industry and get those good jobs and conditions and pay. Whether you are an electrical apprentice who helped build the SEC’s Melbourne renewable energy hub in Plumpton, like Jayla, who the member for Sydenham and I met just last year, or Samira at Specialized Solar & Electrical, installers with the SEC’s one-stop shop program – I and the member for Narre Warren North met Samira, whose business is helping households slash their bills with energy-efficient upgrades – or one of the 217 women who so far have been upskilled through the free and subsidised Solar Homes training programs, it is these women and many more who are powering our state and inspiring other girls and women to do the same. That is not to mention the member for Laverton promoting the power saving bonus at the Duke Street neighbourhood house in Sunshine, which saves families $100 off their energy bills, or the member for Northcote working on securing a community battery in Alphington, or the member for Mulgrave, who has been promoting careers in renewables with the SEC’s schools program. Jess Wilson’s opposition will stop all renewable energy projects from being built, will slash the Victorian energy upgrades (VEU) and the Solar Homes program and will send energy bills –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker: correct titles.

The SPEAKER: Indeed. Minister, I ask you to refer to members by their correct titles.

Lily D’AMBROSIO: The current Leader of the Opposition and her opposition team will slash all of these and kill off all renewable energy projects. None will get built. The renewable energy targets will go. The VEU, the Solar Homes program and all of these training opportunities that are helping keep Victoria’s power bills low for every Victorian and training women and girls for the new energy jobs of the future will all be gone.

Brad Rowswell: On a point of order, Speaker, you cannot just attribute whatever rubbish you like to a member unsubstantiated. It has to be done by a proper motion.

The SPEAKER: That is not the way to raise a point of order.