Questions raised over local gas supply cuts

The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has continued to raise concerns over gas supply cuts across the region, putting forward questions to the Minister for Energy and Resources during Parliament this week.

The questions from Ms Cleeland come after Solstice Energy announced it will cut gas to more than 1,180 homes and businesses across 10 regional communities by the end of next year, including a significant number in Heathcote.

“Why has this government created one of Heathcote’s biggest power crises without securing a reliable alternative supply?” Ms Cleeland asked.

“This government has allowed Solstice Energy to cut off Heathcote’s gas supply ten years early, forcing local businesses into costly retrofits and pushing our already unreliable electricity network to breaking point.

“The Costerfield mine, which employs several hundred people, already relies on diesel generators due to limited power availability.

“Other local businesses warn this decision will trigger outages, job losses, and closures the region cannot afford.

“What is this government doing to protect local jobs and help businesses and households with the costs of transition?”

Ms Cleeland said the disruption is the direct outcome of the Allan Labor Government’s ideological war on gas, which is stripping away choice, driving up energy bills, and punishing regional Victorians.

“Since January 2024, Labor has banned gas connections for new homes and subdivisions that require planning permits, cutting off access for growing regional communities,” Ms Cleeland said.

“These decisions are being made in Spring Street by city-centric Labor ministers who have no idea what it is like to live or run a business in regional Victoria.

“We have already seen repeated power outages in nearby towns like Benalla, Euroa, and Nagambie.

“Labor’s plan only makes this worse.”