Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Energy policy

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (18:38): (1040) My adjournment for tonight is for the attention of the Minister for Energy and Resources. The government has an energy efficiency program, which has had lots of trouble, as people will remember. We had the multiple fridges – all sorts of programs are being mismanaged. But one of the points I want to draw to the minister’s attention tonight is the industry that supplies film on the inside of house windows. It is an industry that has good science behind it, well-established science, that can reduce up to 40 per cent of incoming radiation. Some films can actually provide up to 15 per cent protection from heat going out as well. This is an energy efficiency step that is deserving of support.

The coalition government in 2011, in our version of the scheme, actually had this supported. Sadly, in March last year, 2023, the minister for energy cut all of these programs that supported lining, or films on windows in domestic premises. They were cut to nothing. Many other programs are supported by the government’s energy efficiency programs, but these ones were cut. And yet the science is very strong. In that circumstance, I am asking as an action tonight for the minister to meet with the industry and to reconsider the ban that she put in place in March 2023. As part of those energy efficiency programs that the government supports with rebates, the Victorian energy efficiency schemes, I ask that the minister make sure that the films that are put on the inside of these windows by reputable companies with proper science behind them do actually have some support.

I think that this has been a foolish step by the minister. She has been out on ideological frolics on a whole range of different issues and yet here is a well-grounded, scientifically supported technology that actually at modest cost provides that energy efficiency addition. Now, it in no way replaces double glazing, I make it quite clear, and double glazing is in many respects preferable, but it is also vastly more expensive, and the support that was provided previously actually ensured that more Victorians had those energy efficiency treatments to their windows. I therefore ask the government to reverse their unfortunate ban.