Environment Victoria today welcomes Infrastructure Victoria’s updated draft 30-year infrastructure strategy which backs the Allan government’s sensible building electrification proposal and calls for better planning to get Victoria off gas.
Infrastructure Victoria’s strategy also proposes bold solutions for water management, including recycled drinking water for Melbourne and returning more water to Traditional Owners.
Environment Victoria Senior Climate and Energy Advisor Dr Kat Lucas-Healey said:
“Victorians’ gas bills are funnelling huge, guaranteed profits to the gas networks. This will only get worse without a clear plan to move away from gas. Infrastructure Victoria is calling for a strategy and timelines to right-size the gas networks.
“Infrastructure Victoria recognises that putting in efficient electric heating and hot water when old gas appliances break down will cut bills, make homes more comfortable in a changing climate and reduce the need for new energy infrastructure.
“It’s essential that efficiency measures are available to everyone including the households most impacted by high energy bills, so it’s positive to see Infrastructure Victoria prioritising support for low income households and renters, electrification of social housing and transparent energy ratings for people buying or renting a home.
“We will be setting ourselves up for a better future with a coordinated energy transition that affordably delivers the infrastructure we need. This means staying the course building wind, solar and storage and meeting our energy and emissions targets.
“Regional energy planning will make sure that Victoria’s regions are playing to their strengths and meeting local needs in the most appropriate and cost effective ways.”
Environment Victoria Rivers and Nature Campaign Manager Greg Foyster said:
“As climate change reduces winter rainfall and the population continues to grow, Victoria faces a future water crisis. Some government modelling has shown that, by 2065, more than half of the water Melbourne needs doesn’t currently exist.
“Infrastructure Victoria’s strategy proposes tackling this issue with smart solutions such as integrated water management and better use of recycled water. If we act on these well in advance of the problem, we can hopefully avoid building another expensive and environmentally damaging desalination plant.
“More than 30 cities around the world use recycled water for drinking including Singapore, Perth and Los Angeles, and many others are considering it. It’s time to start a conversation about whether recycled drinking water is an option for Melbourne too.
“We fully support the recommendation for the government to invest in more water returned to Traditional Owners. First Nations currently own less than 0.2% of water entitlements in Victoria – a terrible injustice that needs to be urgently addressed.”