Victorian Election 2022 – Climate And Energy Pledge Roundup

With just a few days to go until the good folks of Victoria head to the polls, here’s some of what Victorian Labor, the Liberals/Nationals and Greens are committing to in terms of energy and climate.

Victorian Labor

Building on current efforts and under the ongoing leadership of Dan Andrews:

• Re-establishing a government-owned energy company with view to building out bunch of renewables projects, each of which the State Government will have a controlling interest in. Any profits from the revived State Electricity Commission to go into keeping power bills down.
• 95% renewable electricity by 2035 (initial State Government investment of $1 billion).
• Net zero emissions by 2045.
• $10 million to deliver a Hydrogen Worker Training Centre.
• $6 million to train workers for the state’s wind industry.
• 100 neighbourhood batteries.

Victorian Labor’s 2022 election commitments on energy can be found here.

Victorian Liberals/Nationals

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.
• Establishing a $1 billion Victorian Hydrogen Strategy
• Upgrading electricity transmission infrastructure in Western Victoria to unlock 1,800 megawatts of renewable energy capacity, plus generally modernising the state’s transmission system.
• Provide 1 million households with a rebate of up to $1,400 for solar panel installations and $3,000 for a home battery. The battery and solar panel scheme seems very similar to the currently available and ongoing Solar Homes program. However, the Libs will double the subsidy for rental properties.
• Installing solar panels across unspecific public infrastructure.
• Legislate halving emissions by 2030.
• Maintain the ban on fracking and coal seam gas (CSG) extraction.
• Pay the electricity supply charge for Victorian households during the first six months of 2023, which will save 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:

• A ban on any new coal, oil and gas projects in Victoria, including offshore gas drilling. This would come into effect “immediately”.
• A plan to get 1 million Victoria homes off gas and banning connecting new homes to the gas network.
• Reducing Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2030.
• Reach net zero emissions by 2035 or sooner.
• Boost Victoria’s legislated 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 the state’s coal and gas workers.
• End land tax exemptions for coal mines in the Latrobe Valley.
• A properly-funded Latrobe Valley Authority, which will oversee the transition away from coal.
• Tough new coal pollution standards to protect the health of people in the Latrobe Valley.
• Axe the CarbonNet carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

The Victorian Greens 2022 election commitments on energy can be found here.

As in other states/territories/countries, the last few years have been pretty challenging for Victorians. On Election Day, don’t forget to grab your democracy sausage (in whatever form it may take – animal, plant, fungi). Then once safely back home and with your car keys stashed away:

(or don’t).