Minister Lily D’Ambrosio’s resignation marks the departure of Australia’s longest‑serving Energy and Climate Change Minister.  A leader who fundamentally reshaped Victoria’s energy and climate policy for the better. Her legacy is towering, transformative, and will be extremely difficult to surpass. The renewable energy industry salutes her contribution, her leadership, and her unwavering commitment to a cleaner, fairer energy future.

Her presence will be missed, but her impact will endure. The achievements are too many to list, but several stand out as nation‑shaping reforms:

She established Australia’s first Just Transition framework at Hazelwood, ensuring workers and the community were not left behind as ageing coal generation came offline.

She led the historic revival of the Victorian State Electricity Commission, restoring public leadership in renewable energy investment and grid transformation.

She delivered record‑breaking renewable energy targets, accelerated transmission planning, strengthened consumer protections, and positioned Victoria as a national leader in climate action.

Minister D’Ambrosio leaves behind a legacy defined by courage, clarity of purpose and a deep commitment to the people of Victoria. The renewable energy sector thanks her for her service and her vision; a legacy that will continue to guide the state’s transition for decades to come.

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About the Smart Energy Council

The Smart Energy Council is the peak independent membership body representing Australia’s renewable energy industry. We are a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity, advocating on behalf of our members and the wider industry for strong energy policy, increased investment, energy security and sustainable industry growth. Our work spans residential, commercial and industrial distributed energy resources (DER), including solar PV and battery storage, rooftop solar, electrification, electric vehicles and smart transport, renewable manufacturing, large-scale renewable energy, electricity grid development and emerging energy technologies. We represent our members’ interests nationally and internationally, including across the Asia-Pacific region.

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