Friends of the Earth welcomes the appointment of Jaclyn Symes as the state’s new Minister for Energy, Climate and Environment, saying her appointment as a senior minister maintains Victoria’s leadership position at a critical time for climate and energy policy in the leadup to the state election.
As a minister who has lived and worked in the regions with a wide range of stakeholders as former minister for Agriculture, Regional Development and Emergency Services, Symes brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role.
“As former Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes will know that climate change is already impacting Victoria right here and now, and this is being driven by burning fossil fuels,” said Cam Walker, campaigns coordinator for Friends of the Earth.
When Jaclyn was Agriculture Minister she argued that the government needed to act to “reduce our emissions, so that we can play our part in ensuring the worst climate change scenarios are not realised."
She added that "living in a rural community and having spoken extensively with farmers right across the State, I know that not only are our farmers concerned about climate change, they want the government to act on it."
Minister Symes begins the role at a time of significant change for the energy system.
Victoria is now powered by over 40% renewable energy. The Yallourn coal power station will close in 2028, and the state is expected to launch its first offshore wind auctions later this month.
Affordable renewable energy is driving down wholesale power prices, with home and grid scale batteries increasingly outcompeting gas generation on the grid. The re-establishment of the State Electricity Commission gives Victorians a real public stake in new renewable energy projects.
“The Victorian government’s home electrification rebates have helped thousands of Victorians get off dirty, expensive gas. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, Minister Symes must continue this support and provide extra assistance for low-income communities to electrify” said Friends of the Earth Energy Justice campaigner Anna Langford.
At the same time, the tech industry’s AI data centre boom risks derailing the shift to renewable energy and locking in expensive gas, presenting a significant risk to power bills and climate action.
Friends of the Earth urges the new Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Anthony Carbines, to work closely with Minister Jaclyn Symes to ensure that any new AI developments do not risk water supply, entrench fossil fuel use or divert renewable energy away from the needs of people.
Transport is the state's second largest and fastest growing source of emissions. We hope that the new energy and climate minister works closely with the new Minister for Public Transport, Vicki Ward MP, to ensure access to sustainable transport emissions for all Victorians by implementing a 21st century bus network in Melbourne’s West.
Further comment
Anna Langford 0478 031 771
Cam Walker 0419 338 047