Interview with Tom Connell, Sky News Australia

6 June 2024

Interviewer

Tom Connell

Subject

Victoria approves gas extraction project, Push to renewables, Processing critical minerals.

E&OE

TOM CONNELL: Victoria has approved its first extraction project in more than a decade, that's despite the State Government's renewable energy push. The pipeline near the Twelve Apostles will supply gas to local homes and businesses, but it could not still address a predicted shortfall. I spoke to the Federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, a short time ago and began by asking her about how significant this project will be.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: It's an important announcement out of Victoria today. The Otway Basin, the coastal waters of Victoria; it's, you know, part of their gas profile, and I think it's an important contribution to Victoria's energy security, but equally Victoria doing a great job in the push to renewables, and I think as the Government there has said and does understand, it is important to have gas to make sure that that push to renewables has an underpinning of energy security.