With just a few days to go before the good people of Victoria go to the polls, here’s some of what Victorian Labor, the Liberals/Nationals and Greens have promised on energy and climate.
Victorian Work
Building on existing efforts and under the continued leadership of Dan Andrews:
- Re-establishing a government-owned energy company with a view to building a group of renewable projects, each of which the State Government has a controlling interest.
- 95% renewable electricity by 2035 (initial State Government investment of $1 billion).
- Net zero emissions by 2045.
- $10 million to provide a Hydrogen Worker Training Center.
- $6 million to train workers for the state’s wind industry.
- 100 neighborhood batteries.
Victorian Labor’s 2022 election commitments on energy can be found here.
Victorian Liberal/National
Under Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy:
- First on the list – encouraging conventional onshore gas exploration and production, with new conventional onshore natural gas subject to a 100 per cent domestic reservation policy under the party’s Victorian Gas for Victorians Guarantee.
- Building a $1 billion Victorian Hydrogen Strategy
- Upgrade electricity transmission infrastructure in Western Victoria to unlock 1,800 megawatts of renewable energy capacity, in addition to general modernization of the state’s transmission system.
- Give 1 million households a rebate of up to $1,400 for solar panel installations and $3,000 for a home battery. The battery and solar panel design seems very similar to the current and ongoing Solar Homes program. However, the Libs will double the subsidy for rental properties.
- Installation of solar panels on non-specific public infrastructure.
- Legislate the halving of emissions by 2030.
- Maintain the ban on fracking and coal seam gas (CSG) extraction.
- Pay the electricity supply bill for Victorian households in the first six months of 2023, saving each household up to $235.
The Victorian Liberals’ 2022 election commitments on energy can be found here.
Victorian Greens
Under the leadership of Samantha Ratnam:
- Ban on any new coal, oil and gas projects in Victoria, including offshore gas drilling. It will be effective “immediately”.
- A plan to take 1 million Victorian homes off gas and ban connecting new homes to the gas network.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Victoria by 80% by 2030.
- Net zero emissions will be reached by 2035 or sooner.
- Increase Victoria’s legal renewable energy target to 100% by 2030.
- Legislation for the orderly phase-out of Victoria’s remaining coal-fired power stations by 2030.
- Guaranteed jobs for all coal and gas workers in the state.
- End land tax exemptions for coal mines in the Latrobe Valley.
- A properly funded Latrobe Valley Authority, to manage the transition away from coal.
- Tough new coal pollution standards to protect the health of people in the Latrobe Valley.
- Ax is the CarbonNet carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.
The Victorian Greens 2022 election commitments on energy can be found here.
Like other states/territories/countries, the last few years have been quite challenging for Victorians. On Election Day, don’t forget to grab your democracy sausage (in any form – animal, plant, fungi). Then once safely back home and with your car keys tucked away:
(or not).
