Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:57): (416) My question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources, and it concerns the impossible electrical connection costs imposed by Powercor upgrades on many new, all-electric homes. I recently travelled to Avoca in Western Victoria to visit the construction site of a modest, two-bedroom home just off the main street. The home owner planned to go all electric, with stovetops, heating, hot water and in time an EV charging station in his garage, yet my constituent will have to pay for the privilege of upgrading Powercor’s network to achieve this. It will add an additional $100,000 to his $380,000 build. This is not outback Australia; it is the main street of Avoca. Transitioning heating and transport energy needs from fossil fuels to electricity is an immense project. The phrase ‘rewiring the nation’ is actually pretty accurate. How can ordinary Victorians like my constituent afford to pay for this government’s irrational and ill-considered dumping of gas?