The manner in which discussion about a rural business-man’s problems became lost in Parliamentary silliness was apparent when Euroa MLA Stephanie Ryan asked a question of Lily D’Ambrosio (pictured) last Thursday (Sept. 21).
This report comes directly from Hansard:
Ms RYAN (Euroa) — My question is to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
Colbinabbin’s Alan Meyers owns and operates a stock feed mill, supplying feed to dairy farmers across the Goulburn Valley and Gippsland.
Alan’s electricity prices increased by 110 per cent last month, after his existing contract expired.
The increase has forced Alan to call in debts, potentially bankrupting several farmers.
Minister, with dairy farmers in Victoria already struggling due to milk price cuts, how many more need to face bankruptcy before you acknowledge the energy cost crisis facing Victorian farmers that is happening under your watch?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change) — I thank the member for her question. I do reject the notion that
somehow this government is standing idly by when it comes to —
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! The member for Euroa has asked a question of the minister. The minister is answering the question. I will not have her shouted down. The minister to continue.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — The fact is we are taking decisive action to get our electricity prices down.
It is a bit rich, in fact very rich, when those opposite who have the opportunity right now — today, in fact within a few hours — to vote in support of the very tool that will actually get prices down for all consumers, including dairy farmers, including all farmers right across regional Victoria.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — The member for South-West Coast is warned.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — That is, of course, getting the cheapest form of new energy into our system, more supply, which will drive down wholesale prices.
It is also really important for us to reflect on the fact that those people here have got the courage to actually talk about this issue when their mates in Canberra are in total disarray, when in fact they themselves have got no energy policy which will actually do the heavy lifting of reducing energy prices.
Our state is stepping up. We will do it and we will deliver this. Importantly, let us look at the commentary of their own federal leader.
In fact today, this morning,
on Sky News —
Ms Ryan — On a point of order, Speaker, on the issue of relevance, this question went to the fact that there are dairy farmers across my area and across northern Victoria who are now facing bankruptcy as a result of rising energy prices. Their minister is yet to address that. She is yet to explain what the government are going to do to address their policy which is directly driving up costs for dairy farmers and people like Alan Meyers, and I would ask you to bring her back to answering that question.
The SPEAKER — Order! The minister began her answer in a responsive manner, but led straight to attacking the opposition. I ask the minister to respond to the question.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — Malcolm Turnbull, their leader federally —
Honourable members interjecting.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — Do you want to learn about energy policy? The fact is this: Malcolm Turnbull himself this morning repeated this statement, that the ingle —
Mr Southwick — On a point of order, Speaker, I would ask you to bring the minister back to answering the question. This was not about deflecting their responsibility to our federal counterparts. This minister is responsible fairly and squarely for policies that happen here in Victoria, and we want to know what this minister is going to do to help Mr Meyers and all the dairy farmers in Victoria that are facing an energy crisis under their watch. What is this minister going to do? Not Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra — what are you going to do, Minister?
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! There is no point of order.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — The point is that national policy is absolutely relevant and state policy is absolutely relevant. Malcolm Turnbull himself said that the single most critical issue that is driving up electricity prices is the price of gas.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! I warn the member for Kew and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — Frankly, Rod Sims and Tony Wood both agree that there is a failure of national leadership —
The SPEAKER — The member for Ripon is warned as well.
Ms D’AMBROSIO — when it comes to dealing with the gas issue — the gas issue which the Prime Minister has himself said has led to an increase in electricity prices for everyone. He has failed to deliver on the policy that he claims he was going to introduce to actually drive down energy prices through more gas supply into the system.
Our state will not be distracted by the nonsense and the
abject failure of national leadership. Our government will continue to deliver significant reforms and more energy supply into our system through the Victorian renewable energy target (VRET) bill. Those opposite, if they were genuine about their support for their electorates, would go back to their electorates and explain to them why their position on VRET will simply drive up —
Ms RYAN (Euroa) — For the record, Minister, Alan Meyers’s issues relate to electricity, not to gas, but when his contract expires Alan’s lowest cost option will be to go off the grid and install dirty diesel generators if he wants to stay afloat. Minister, can you explain how forcing businesses to install diesel generators will help Victoria meet its renewable energy targets?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change) — I thank the member very much for the supplementary question. I would contest the supposition that is in that question because there is an absolute relationship between the price of gas and the price of producing electricity. I would suggest to the member and all those opposite to actually start to understand the way that the energy system works, because when they start to come to terms with that they will understand and make a decision to get on board —
Mr Southwick — On a point of order, Speaker, I know the minister is confused between gas and electricity and baseload and renewable energy.
The SPEAKER — Order! What is your point of order?
Mr Southwick — Speaker, can I ask you to bring the minister to answering the question about how diesel generators are going to help the minister meet her Victorian renewable energy target — those diesel
generators that the dairy farmers will need to implement because she has shut down Hazelwood power station?
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! I ask the house to come to order. The minister will come back to answering the question.
And so it continued