An article below from the herald sun reaffirming MKs stance on gas as she calls out Victoria Ian’s NSW over their gas shortage domestically.
Daniel Andrews hits out at Madeleine King over Victoria’s future gas supply plansPremier Daniel Andrews has hit back at federal Resources Minister Madeleine King after she suggested Victoria look at lifting restrictions on gas fields.Mitch ClarkeMarch 22, 2023 5:14 pm
Daniel Andrews has taken a swipe at federal Labor’s Resources Minister after she suggested that Victoria looks at lifting restrictions on gas fields.The Premier on Wednesday said Madeleine King should instead focus on establishing a national domestic gas reserve to help prioritise local gas use.It came after Ms King said there was a need to secure alternative sources for gas supply after US energy giant ExxonMobil warned its gas fields off the Victorian coast are depleting.Asked if Victoria should lift its moratorium on gas fields, Ms King told ABC Radio National that it is “really up to the Victorian government to decide how they will pursue energy security for manufacturing and domestic consumers”.“Well, they’ve got a couple of moratoria on different gas fields,” she said.“They’ve clearly got a challenge, as has New South Wales. I mean, Victoria, yesterday, I think it was over 70 per cent powered by brown coal in its power generation system, so there’s a long journey for Victoria to move from a principally brown coal‑based power generation jurisdiction to renewables, and they’re working on that pathway and I really respect that.”Mr Andrews on Wednesday rubbished Ms King’s comments.“With the greatest respect to Minister King, I direct her to the lead scientist (Dr Amanda Caples), who makes it very clear that there are no known or probable onshore reserves that can be conventionally extracted,” Mr Andrews said outside parliament.“So, if you want us to frack the place, no, that’s not happening. That is not happening, and we couldn’t have been clearer.”Victoria currently exports 70 per cent of its gas, Mr Andrews said, calling for a national domestic gas reserve to prioritise local needs first.“It’s not for me to give advice to Minister King, but if I can, as politely as possible, perhaps suggest to her that a national domestic gas reserve would be what we need so that our gas is for our businesses and our households,” Mr Andrews said.“The rest of it, the bit we don’t need – sell that to the world and get the best price you can.“We shouldn’t have to compete against the rest of the world for something that comes out of our ground and our seabed.“I reckon a national minister would be really well-placed to do that.“I’d do it here if I could, but there’s a thing called the constitution, and I’m not able to do that. Minister King would be, so maybe she wants to get on with that.”
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