Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original adjournment matter from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources and Minister for the State Electricity Commission. I deliberately refer to all of the minister’s portfolios, because the action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate of Wendouree to meet with relevant stakeholders and local organisations about how the Andrews Labor government is supporting households with their energy bills, bringing back the SEC, accelerating clean energy investment in Victoria’s economy and reducing emissions.

I wish to thank the minister for her support of Wendouree households through the latest round of the power saving bonus. The $250 energy payment is providing important financial relief for Wendouree constituents and has been very much appreciated by the nearly 30,000 residents across Ballarat who have applied for the power saving bonus.

I am pleased that we are encouraging households to review their current energy provider and check if they are getting the best offer. This is significant, because through the Victorian Energy Compare website energy consumers can compare offers and information in order to make informed choices about their household energy costs and potentially make real savings. After logging on, I found a cheaper deal and have recently switched energy providers to save money – a change worth making after being with the same company for 15 years.

We are a strong and progressive government, and I am proud that the Victorian government has set one of the most ambitious emission-reduction targets in the world – to cut Victoria’s emissions by 75 to 80 per cent by 2035. Further, we are decarbonising at the fastest rate in the country, and we have been doing this since 2014. Another important initiative being undertaken by the Andrews Labor government is ensuring all government operations are powered with 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025.

We have a lot to talk about, because the Andrews Labor government is doing so much to transform Victoria’s energy sector, supply and sustainability. This includes the Victorian Solar Homes program, another way we are continuing to drive Victorians’ transition to more affordable household energy, with the installation of solar PV, solar hot water and solar batteries.

I look forward to joining with the minister to talk to stakeholders and community organisations about how our government, the Andrews Labor government, is laying the foundation for more long-lasting change to our reliance on fossil fuels through significant investments in renewable energy across Victoria and bringing back the SEC.

Response from the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, & Minister for the State Electricity Commission (18 July 2023) –

Thank you for the invitation to visit the electorate of Wendouree to meet with constituents and local organisations to discuss how the Andrews Labor government is supporting households with their electricity energy bills, reducing emissions and accelerating clean energy investment in Victoria’s economy.

We are taking strong and lasting action on climate change. We have set a new 2035 target to reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 75-80% below 2005 levels and brought forward the date to achieve net zero emissions from 2050 to 2045. Transitioning to a renewable energy economy is key to achieving these targets.

We have set ambitious but achievable renewable energy targets of 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035, along with our energy storage targets of at least 2.6 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and at least 6.3 GW by 2035.

The renewable energy targets will also be supported by a thriving offshore wind sector – the government is aiming for at least 2GW of offshore wind capacity by 2032; 4GW by 2035 and 9GW by 2040.

The 2023-24 Victorian Budget includes significant new investments to continue our drive towards a renewable energy future. More than $194 million is being provided to bring back the SEC, help extend neighbourhood batteries across metropolitan and regional Victoria, improve the affordability of home solar batteries and to upgrade our energy transmission and resources infrastructure.

In addition, the budget includes more than $114 million over the forward estimates as a crucial investment in the skills and workforce requirements needed for Victoria’s transition to a renewable energy future.

These commitments build on earlier renewable energy investments to reduce emissions, increase large and small-scale renewable energy and build a clean reliable and secure electricity grid.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.