Journalists to hear evidence on gas, Yallourn and offshore wind
An online media briefing on Victoria’s energy choices at the November state election will run on 31 August 2026, with power bills, gas, offshore wind and electrification set to dominate the discussion before voters go to the polls on 28 November.
Smart Energy Council and Climate Media Centre are co-hosting the session. It starts at 10:00 AEST on Monday 31 August 2026 and runs until 10:45, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session. Registration is essential.
Organisers say the event will examine evidence, key figures and likely campaign flashpoints. Topics include bills and cost of living, reliability as Yallourn nears closure, the future of gas, wind and transmission in regional Victoria, investment risk across the project pipeline, and campaign milestones and data sources worth tracking.
Deadlines before the 28 November vote
Several energy deadlines sit close to the election. Gippsland’s offshore wind auction is due to launch, Yallourn is due to close in 2028, VNI West faces the threat of being scrapped, and Victoria’s building electrification rules begin on 1 January 2027.
Politics has shifted as well. Ben Carroll is now Premier, while Lily D’Ambrosio has left the energy portfolio and will not recontest after shaping Victoria’s transition settings since 2014.
Meanwhile, Jess Wilson is campaigning to scrap the renewable energy target, impose 2km wind setbacks, allow new gas exploration, reverse the gas phase-out policy and commit Victoria to more gas peaking capacity. Organisers also pointed to the rise of One Nation as another factor in the contest.
Speakers include Tennant Reed, director of climate change and energy at Australian Industry Group, and Stephanie Bashir, chief executive of Nexa Advisory and a former senior director of public policy at AGL.
Also joining the panel are Craig Henderson, a Wimmera grain farmer from the Victorian Farmers Federation Grains Council, and Jeremy Watson, owner of Brimbank Veterinary Clinic and Hospital.
Climate Media Centre says Watson began electrifying his business for climate reasons, including moving off gas, and has permanently cut energy overheads through renewable energy and storage. Danielle Veldre from Climate Media Centre will moderate the discussion.
Climate Media Centre says the event is on the record and quotable unless a speaker states otherwise. It will send a recording and transcript to registrants after the session, and says all speakers will be available for one-on-one interviews.
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