The Victorian Greens have slammed Jacinta Allan's Labor Government for approving new gas drilling in the Otway and Gippsland basins, warning it locks Victoria into decades more fossil fuel pollution, accelerates climate-driven disasters, and hands special treatment to gas corporations at the expense of ordinary Victorians.
Expanding gas slows down the renewable transition by diverting investment and delaying electrification. AEMO's modelling does not suggest Victoria needs new gas projects - the real bottleneck is the slow rollout of renewable energy, storage and transmission.
Experts and economists have made it clear that opening new fossil fuel projects delays the transition and locks pollution into the grid for decades. Instead of fixing those failures, Labor is giving fossil fuel corporations exactly what they want.
The Greens say Labor is speaking out of both sides of its mouth on climate - and that they're misleading Victorians by claiming to accelerate the transition while approving fossil fuel projects that make the climate crisis worse and energy more expensive.
As stated by the Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
"Jacinta Allan's Labor is giving special treatment to fossil fuel corporations while Victorians face higher bills and worsening climate disasters."
"Approving new fossil fuels in the middle of a worsening fire season is reckless. Real leadership listens to climate science and puts communities first, not gas corporations."
As stated by the Victorian Greens clean energy transition spokesperson, Dr Tim Read:
"Victoria doesn't have a gas supply problem, we have a political problem. Labor is choosing special treatment for gas corporations instead of accelerating electrification and renewables, which would mean cheaper bills and improved energy security"
"Every new gas approval diverts investment away from clean energy and slows down the transition Victorians are already making. If Labor was serious about affordability or climate action, they'd speed up renewables, not hand out favours to fossil fuel corporations."
