RENEWABLE ENERGY

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:25): My question is to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Can the minister inform the house about the benefits of renewable energy to our economy and identify any threats to these benefits?

Mr Venning: Soft question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:25): Thank you, Ivan. I thank the member for Schubert for his support for this area, and I thank the member for her question and her support for renewable energy. I think it is fair to say that renewable energy is a vital part of South Australia's future prosperity both environmentally and economically. There are currently 15 fully operational wind farms in South Australia, with a total installed capacity of more than 1,200 megawatts. This accounts for almost 50 per cent of Australia's entire operating wind farm capacity.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has noted a further 2,600 megawatts of wind projects in South Australia are under development, which will bring more investment and growth to our state. This includes a $439 million 270-megawatt Snowtown stage 2 wind farm, which commenced construction just last week. This project will create 150 to 200 jobs during construction and a further 15 to operate the wind farm. In fact, over the past decade the wind industry has created approximately 840 direct jobs. This government is overseeing capital expenditure on wind projects totalling almost $3 billion. During 2010-11 renewable energy accounted for 22 per cent of this state's power generation.

The honourable member asked about threats to this vital industry. A clear and present danger exists in this industry through the unconcealed division within the Liberal Party and not just on leadership but on renewable energy policy.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Come in, Brutus.

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr MARSHALL: Debate, Madam Speaker. He is straying from the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. No, I do not uphold that yet because I am not quite sure what he is going to say, but I will refer him back to the question. Minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr MARSHALL: I mean, the Liberal Party; how can that be anything other than debate?

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you. Sit down. Minister, I refer you back to the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: At the end of the previous sitting week the member for Stuart moved a motion in this house for a select committee to be set up to investigate the viability of a concentrated solar thermal power plant to be built in Port Augusta, and I commend him again. I commend him for this and reiterate the government's support for the committee. I especially commend him when he says, 'The renewable energy technology—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! That's silly. Minister.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Don't worry, Brutus, I'll get to you in a minute. It's coming, don't worry, I haven't ignored you. I especially commend him when he says that—

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order: debate—again, very obvious debate.

The SPEAKER: No, he was responding to interjections. There is no point of order. Minister.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's coming, don't worry. This is what he says:

It is an important opportunity for a new manufacturing industry in our state and all members of both sides of the chamber would certainly welcome that.

I commend him for those remarks. I like his optimism, but the reality is he is probably alone with those opinions. In a newspaper article on 6 January this year, the Leader of the Opposition said in respect of wind power, and I quote:

Wind is probably the least efficient and most unreliable of all green energy sources.

She is then reported in the article as saying that she would not be fazed if the Liberal Party policy on wind caused a drop in turbine investment. The opposition is not fazed about a decline in regional jobs, not fazed about a decline in manufacturing jobs. While members opposite might not be fazed about the development of this industry, the government is. We are the renewable energy state—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —led by a government united in leadership, united in its policy, and proud of its achievements to date.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, Brutus?

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr MARSHALL: The minister's time for this question has expired.

The SPEAKER: No, he's still got 27 seconds left.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Oh well, never mind, Brutus; can't count and can't tell the time.

The SPEAKER: Order, minister!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We will continue to welcome investment in renewable technology and support ideas that seek to build our existing renewables platform. I call on the opposition to unite behind the member for Stuart. At least he is an honourable man, joined by other honourable men on the backbench, unlike the unhonourable man on the front bench.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PEDERICK: Point of order: you are not allowed impugn another member in this place and I ask that he withdraw.

The SPEAKER: I would ask the minister to withdraw that.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If I offended Brutus, I withdraw.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: the minister continually defies your rulings and he has just done so again.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! No, he has withdrawn that statement. I am not sure about the 'Brutus' bit but—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I also point out to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that when there are interjections or a point of order the clock is stopped in front of me here, so that is why your time and my time are different.