In the wake of Labor’s comfortable victory in the Victorian state election in late November, Premier Dan Andrews has upheld his promise to revive the State Electricity Commission and appointed Lily D’Ambrosio (pictured, above) to helm the new ministry.
As part of a cabinet reshuffle, D’Ambrosio has taken the role of Minister for the State Electricity Commission in addition to her roles as Minister for Climate Action and Minister for Energy and Resources, as part of the amended Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Having previously been the Minister for Environment since 2016, D’Ambrosio passed the baton for that portfolio over to Ingrid Stitt.
The new Minister for the State Electricity Commission said the message from voters at the election is proof Victorians want government intervention in the delivery of the state’s energy supply.
“It speaks volumes about the community’s desire to see government take control of the transition to renewable energy, drive down power bills, and fully recognise that electricity should be for people, not profit,” she told Guardian Australia.
Premier Andrews said the revival of the State Electricity Commission will certainly lower Victorian consumers’ power bills in the long term.