Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (14:54): (1492) My question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources. There has been a bit of interest already today in this chamber in your first keynote speech since becoming the energy and resources minister, which you gave to the energy industry recently, in which you stated that the government intends to ‘stay the course’ when it comes to our renewable energy targets and the retirement of our coal-fired power plants. You also indicated that ‘equivocating scares the market’ and that it is critical for governments to provide certainty. Even the government acknowledges that community engagement with respect to WRL has been historically poor and has contributed to distress and anxiety for communities as well as delays, and that lack of certainty is a key driver of that lack of trust and anxiety. Within an hour of that address, the Premier issued a press release saying that the Western Renewables Link would be reassessed in light of a re-costing that would not be released until after the election. How are these delays and uncertainties consistent with the commitments you made during that address?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:55): Thank you, Dr Mansfield, for your question. I can reiterate my answers to the previous questions that I have received in question time. There are no delays as a result of assessing the costs and providing greater transparency in relation to that once that work is done. But in relation to continuation with landholders, many of those who have already signed up to voluntary arrangements and the like, those conversations are still happening and the projects are commencing, whilst there is a separate procurement process for independent assessors for looking at the costings that we can then release publicly.

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (14:56): Minister, Yallourn coal power station is due to close in 2028 and Loy Yang A in 2035. In order to meet those timelines, Victoria needs enough renewable energy built and online, and that includes transmission. Can you guarantee that this process that WRL is going through now will not impact on the timelines for the closure of Victoria’s coal-fired power stations?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:57): Under a Labor government, WRL will proceed. Under a Labor government, VNI is proceeding. The only risk to those projects is sitting across there.