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New home ban will force more Victorians to use ‘dirty’ electricity, that’s even gassier than gas

Dan Andrews’ attempt to save the planet by banning gas in new homes will be cold comfort for everyone — including the climate crazies — when Victoria’s electricity supply runs short.

‘Utter madness’: Victorian government bans gas from homes

Odd coincidence: I was writing this when the electricity went off. But no worries – I was saved by gas.

Yes, my gas generator kicked in again – powered by the fuel that the Andrews Labor government will now ban from all new homes from January 1.

It’s to save the planet from an invisible global warming crisis, you see. But how insane is this?

Consider: these climate crazies will force new home buyers to use only electricity, not gas, just as electricity is running out and bills rising. And when electricity is actually “dirtier”.

“Going all electric will save a new homeowner $1000 off their energy bills each and every year!” tweeted Lily D’Ambrosio, surely the worst state energy minister.

Premier Dan Andrews does not have a great record in delivering electricity. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui
Premier Dan Andrews does not have a great record in delivering electricity. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

That’s a worthless guarantee from a government that just cancelled its Commonwealth Games, saying the cost it predicted would be $2.6bn had more than doubled in two months.

Or check Premier Daniel Andrews’s record in delivering electricity. When he became Premier in 2014, the average spot price that financial year was $30 a megawatt hour. Now it’s $100.

No wonder, when Andrews set the country’s toughest targets for renewable energy, helping to drive shut coal-fired plants that gave us cheap power.

Andrews even banned conventional gas development on land, and now D’Ambrosio has the hide to justify this ban on gas appliances in part on the gas shortage her boss helped cause.

Even dumber: this gas ban will also force more Victorians to use electricity the Grattan Institute admits is even gassier than gas, given two thirds of Victoria’s electricity comes from brown coal.

Anna Appleby and her dog Lucy enjoy their gas fireplace. Picture: Jake Nowakowski
Anna Appleby and her dog Lucy enjoy their gas fireplace. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

That’s because despite the billions of dollars wasted by governments on green energy, it’s still not up to replacing coal. In fact, the Australian Energy Market Operator this year warned Victoria would run dangerously short of electricity in just four years.

Unbelievable. More Victorians now being forced to use the electricity that’s already running short – without now having gas as a fallback.

I predicted this when building my home, and got gas heating, gas stove and gas and solar hot water system put in. If the electricity runs out, I can still cook and keep warm with gas – even without the generator.

And if the gas conks out, I can cook and warm myself with electrical gadgets.

I can still save myself from these climate hysterics and incompetents.

How sorry I am for new home builders, who can’t.

Andrew Bolt
Andrew BoltColumnist

With a proven track record of driving the news cycle, Andrew Bolt steers discussion, encourages debate and offers his perspective on national affairs. A leading journalist and commentator, Andrew’s columns are published in the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph and Advertiser. He writes Australia's most-read political blog and hosts The Bolt Report on Sky News Australia at 7.00pm Monday to Thursday.

Read related topics:Daniel Andrews

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/new-home-ban-will-force-more-victorians-to-use-dirty-electricity-thats-even-gassier-than-gas/news-story/0754b16d074011096604970495bb873c