Wednesday, 12 August 2026

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:45): (1412) My question is to the minister for energy. I refer, Minister, to the Western Renewables Link. Will the government guarantee that it will not pre-emptively provide approvals or licences or support the signing of agreements given how close we are to the caretaker period and the convention that governments should not make large-scale decisions that bind a future government?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:45): I thank Mr Davis for his question on the Western Renewables Link. The project’s proponent AusNet have prepared an EES for the project, which includes extensive studies, investigations and community consultations. No decisions can be made about the approvals required for the project to proceed until the Minister for Planning releases her assessment and it has been considered by the key decision-makers. We have long-established processes and timelines for WRL, and we are not going to change those because of the question that you have asked.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:46): That is sort of a non-answer.

Members interjecting.

David DAVIS: I actually do understand. Minister, in June 2025 the Western Renewables Link economic impact assessment listed the cost of the project at $1.531 billion. Given the proponents will seek approval from the AER to pass through the full cost of the project, do you stand by this figure or has the cost escalated further since June 2025? If you do not stand by this figure, what is the alternate current cost?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:47): Mr Davis, I am not in a position to provide you any figures today. On your question in relation to the progress of the project, I can confirm that AusNet are already contracted. There are no decisions that can be made for approvals required for the project to proceed until the Minister for Planning conducts her components. I think you understand this, so I think you are muddling a bit of the processes together in relation to your question. As I said, we are committed to the timelines that we have already outlined. I am not in a position to discuss the cost of an AusNet project.