On Saturday November 29, Victoria goes to the polls. And thousands of Victorians across the state will vote for renewable energy.

We have prepared a simple policy scorecard to show where the major parties stand.

Victorian Labor Party

If the Labor party forms government it will allow community wind farms in the Macedon and McHarg Ranges, where a blanket ban on wind farms currently exists.

Labor will remove the worst aspects of the Coalition’s anti-wind farm laws. It will remove the 2km right of veto that allows householders to block wind farms, which will be replaced by a 1km buffer zone (in line with New Zealand noise standards).

Under a Labor government, the planning minister will return to the ‘responsible authority’ status, taking the burden of assessing planning applications from over-stretched local councils.

The Labor party has not committed to a Victorian Renewable Energy Target. Labor candidates for the super-marginal seat of Ripon, Daniel McGlone; marginal South Barwon, Andy Richards; and Geoff Howard for the new seat of Bunninyong, personally support a Victorian Renewable Energy Target.

Labor will direct the Essential Services Commission to inquire into the true value to the grid of distributed generation and “ensure that energy retailers cannot discriminate against rooftop solar customers by charging extra supply fees” (Lily D’Ambrosio, RenewEconomy)

 Liberal Party of Victoria (Coalition)

The Liberal party has ignored the strong public support for removing the anti-wind farm laws introduced by former Premier Ted Baillieu. Sitting Liberal MPs Andrew Katos and Simon Ramsay (MLC) support exempting community projects from the restrictions on wind energy. Liberal candidate for Macedon Donna Petrovich is committed to a site-specific exemption for a community wind farm near Woodend.

The Coalition has not released a renewable energy policy or a comprehensive environment policy. It has not commented on a Victorian Renewable Energy Target or fair pricing for solar homes and businesses.

Victorian Greens

The Victorian Greens will repeal the full suite of anti-wind farm laws introduced by the Coalition government.

Reintroducing a Victorian Renewable Energy Target is Greens party policy. The party has stated its commitment to a 90 per cent Renewable Energy Target by 2030.

The Greens will support the continuation of feed-in-tariffs that pay a fair price for solar. The party will introduce a law enshrining the right for Victorians to connect solar to the grid. It is committed to ending discriminatory charges on solar homes and businesses from energy companies.