Master Builders Victoria has commended the Victorian government for announcing plans yesterday to improve electricity connections to new residential developments, but would welcome more commitment by the ESC and the electricity industry on outcomes.

Master Builders says developers and residential builders have a genuine concern about connection times. Very often the builder’s part of the process is complete, but a homeowner waits too long for their connection.

Master Builders Victoria CEO Radley de Silva says there’s a fishhook in the process announced today.

“The Service Improvement Commitment requested from distribution businesses is voluntary and the parties have agreed in principle to the idea,” he says. “In reality, we don’t know the final shape of this plan. We need to keep the pressure on the key players to commit to outcomes.”

Victoria is growing at pace, and Master Builders says the government needs to respond in an agile way; today’s announcement is a good start. Mr de Silva says that transparency is the critical part of the government announcement.

“Let’s see where the delays are and understand their priority,” Mr de Silva says. “With transparency comes accountability.”

Mr de Silva likened the delays in getting residential electricity connections to experiences which we now think of as characteristic of times gone by.

“Many years ago, people used to have to wait for their phone to be connected for weeks and it reminds me of those sorts of stories,” he says. “But if we can make this work it will be a great step forward for consumers.”