The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has expressed outrage at claims from the Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio that she is “delivering” for the Latrobe Valley.
While wrongly stating the State Electricity Commission was helping residents “slash” their energy bills, Minister D’Ambrosio also made the outrageous declaration that Labor was “driving jobs” in the Valley.
“Both of these absurd claims from the Minister for Energy have absolutely no basis in fact,” Mr Cameron said.
“Power prices have increased 22 per cent since 2021, with the average household’s bill costing $1667, and there is no relief in sight.
“Under the new Victorian Default Offer for 2025/26, prices will rise by up to $68 for households in some areas, with small businesses facing increases of up to $128.
“After 11 years in government, Labor is still failing struggling families and small businesses, delivering consistently high electricity prices that continue to hurt Victorians and their budgets.
“Worse than the consistent mistruths about power prices going “down, down, down” is the fact the Minister has claimed she is “driving jobs” in the Valley when nothing could be further than the truth.
“Over the past 11 years that Labor has been in power, jobs growth in the Latrobe Valley has been the equivalent of just 0.47% on an annual basis, while jobs in Wodonga have grown 2.7% and jobs in Geelong have grown 3.4%.
“The unemployment rate in the Latrobe local government area is 7.3%, and thousands of jobs will be lost when our three coal-fired power stations begin to shut in just three years.
“Despite these alarming figures, and despite being at the epicentre of Victoria’s energy transition, the Latrobe Valley is not the focus of any government policy.
“So for the Minister to claim she is “delivering” on any front in the Latrobe Valley is a complete slap in the face to every resident her government has neglected for the past 11 years.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage Victoria’s energy transition, and it’s Latrobe Valley residents who are paying the price.”
