The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, the Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Energy and Resources and the State Electricity Commission (SEC) has announced today that she is retiring from politics.
Friends of the Earth acknowledges her vision, her remarkable commitment to her portfolios and her achievements in transforming energy supply in the state. Her achievements have ensured that the Victorian government has been a national leader in energy policy and climate action.
“Victoria had an old and dirty energy system when Lily was appointed to her role as minister. When Labor came to power in 2014, Victoria was largely reliant on brown coal for energy generation. With D’Ambrosio as Minister, successive Victorian Labor governments have helped the state reach more than 40% renewable energy.
She energetically led the policy and built the political will to transform Victoria into a national leader in climate action” said Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator Cam Walker.
“In her early days as minister she rebuilt the climate policy and legislative infrastructure that had been gutted by the Coalition and helped the state pivot in a bold direction, with a rapid and sustained transition to renewable energy.”
“These new energy policies saw greenhouse pollution drop and jobs grow in the renewables sector, including in regional Victoria. This has also brought benefits to business and domestic consumers and Victoria now has the cheapest electricity in the country.”
“As minister, Lily was pivotal in pushing national energy ambition, and she ensured that Victoria managed the inevitable closure of the state’s coal fired power stations in an orderly way, which prioritised the people of the Latrobe Valley. Social justice has been at the core of her energy policies”.
“Significantly, she also oversaw the re-establishment of the State Electricity Commission, which had been privatised in the Kennett era. Public ownership of energy is widely supported in Victoria and the presence of the SEC as Victoria’s energy infrastructure is rebuilt will deliver benefits to Victorians for years to come’.
‘Her legacy will be thousands of jobs in renewable energy, cheaper electricity prices, a more robust energy system fit for the 21st Century, and Victoria as a national leader on climate.’
