David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. So this is worse at night-time. The price signals caused by the oversupply in daylight hours sends a signal to dispatchable generators that their supply is unviable. You can see a direct link between the policy settings arranged by 'Blackout Dan' and the closure of Hazelwood. So while Victoria had an oversupply of cheap generation that drove economic development and jobs based on low power prices, we now have to import higher priced energy, which means we will export jobs. So these price signals are leading to a lack of investment in coal generation which means less or no firm dispatchable power in the future. The product of this always will be blackouts in the once great state of Victoria.

The solution to this should be very simple. Let's use another abundant cheap power source that is dispatchable when the intermittent power supplies are not available. That solution is gas-fired electricity generation, or should be. Victoria has a long history of cheap, abundant, natural gas. This historically has come from our Bass Strait gas fields. However, they're getting to the end of their lives. Commonsense would dictate we use our other gas reserves to back fill. But no. 'Blackout Dan' has put a moratorium on all gas exploration and production in Victoria. So now we're importing gas from Queensland down a very long expensive pipe. Anna Palaszczuk must be loving her mate Dan because he's sending royalties and jobs to her state, not keeping them in his. The most galling part of this is that, in an attempt to stop blackouts from happening due to his stupid renewable energy target, Dan is rumoured—and I believe in these rumours—to be buying backup diesel generation for when the sun goes down and the wind stops. In case those opposite aren't aware, diesel is the most polluting and the most expensive form of energy generation. The people of Victoria are not stupid. They can see that the renewable target, while a noble aim, is a completely irresponsible energy policy. You can't claim to be looking out for Victorians and for the environment while pushing up the cost of living and polluting our cities and towns with diesel generation. Dan Andrews and his energy minister need to stand up and do the right thing by the people of Victoria. Lift the moratorium on gas exploration and production— (Time expired)