Minister’s Statement

Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes): I am absolutely delighted to inform the house of our government’s commitment to giving Victorian families and small businesses a much better deal on their power bills. Ever since we had the privatisation, by Jeff Kennett and those opposite, of our electricity Victorians have been getting a dud deal from the big corporations. The legislation that we have introduced this week to establish a Victorian default offer will put an end to the dodgy deals private companies have pushed to rip off hardworking Victorian families and small businesses. We will abolish expensive standing offers and replace them with an independent, fair price on electricity from 1 July that will save Victorians up to $500 a year on their power bills. This is the biggest reform to the energy market in decades, something only a Labor government can deliver—only Labor. We are delivering a better deal on energy for all—

Mr R Smith: On a point of order, Speaker, just on some guidance, given the bill has been introduced, doesn’t this fall under the rule of anticipation.

The SPEAKER: I will seek some advice from the clerks. I do warn the minister to stay away from what is in the detail of the bill. The minister is entitled to talk about the broad policy aspects of that area.

Ms D’AMBROSIO: Thank you, Speaker, and that is exactly what I have been doing. We are delivering a better deal on energy for all Victorians right now, because we know that if we waited for policy certainty from the federal government on energy, nothing would ever change for Victorian families. All they have managed to do is make an announcement and do a backflip, then make an announcement and do another backflip. No-one can ever know what on earth they stand for when it comes to reducing power bills for Victorians. Victorians deserve better than that, and we will not be waiting for them. That is why we are delivering on the energy fairness plan now, a plan that not only puts power back in the hands of hardworking Victorian families but also gives the Essential Services Commission greater powers to hold companies to account. This is what Victorians tell us every single day has been missing, and that is why we acted when we did to make these changes. Victorians deserve a better, fairer deal on energy, which is exactly what this government is delivering.