Energy Minister calls for factual debate

As the Prime Minister said, Hazelwood's closure was a business decision made by the French owners who’ve decided to divest from their coal interests across the globe.

Engie didn’t receive any credible offers to keep the plant open due to the hundreds of millions of dollars required just to make it safe. 

A staged closure was never an option.

And it had nothing to do with coal royalties, which were simply brought in line with the taxes paid in other states. 

Why shouldn’t Victorians be paid a fair price for the resources that we all own and companies extract for profit?

While Victoria has the lowest electricity prices of any state, we understand that any increases will be a real cause for concern for consumers.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has said that prices will start coming down next year, as more renewables come online.

This is largely driven by our Victorian Renewable Energy Targets (VRET).

VRET will also attract $9 billion of investment in our state and create 11,000 new jobs – the vast majority will be in regional Victoria.

Given VRET is proven to drive down prices and create jobs, I honestly cannot understand why the Liberals and Nationals have vowed to axe the program with no alternative. 

This action would simply reduce new generation and drive prices up.

The Liberals and Nationals have now launched a shameful scare campaign questioning Victoria’s energy security. 

This is despite the fact that the independent Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has repeatedly confirmed that there is no threat to supply and Victoria will continue to be a net exporter of electricity.

We will still produce more electricity than we consume.

I’d encourage everyone to visit our independent price comparison website, Victorian Energy Compare, which helps consumers find the best available offer.

Victorians can typically save $330 a year on their energy bills by using this site, so jump online and take a look at: www.vic.gov.au/victorianenergycompare

While Victoria is better placed than most, we know there are challenges across the country as we transition to a modern energy system. Politicians on all sides owe it to voters to stick to the facts and have a mature debate about how we move forward as a nation, not play silly political games.