GM HOLDEN

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (15:08): The question is again to the Premier, sir: are energy costs at Holden's Elizabeth plant competitive with energy costs for manufacturers in Victoria and other jurisdictions, and what tangible action, if any, has the government taken to assist Holden to reduce these fixed costs?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:08): We took the unprecedented step of deregulating electricity pricing in South Australia, which has given a massive benefit to consumers in South Australia, and indeed a massive benefit to our manufacturers—something the Liberal Party has not proposed once in its entire time in opposition since 2002. When this government did promote the idea of deregulating our electricity market, members opposite said we hadn't done it soon enough.

Mr PISONI: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: I do not need the member for Unley's point of order. The minister will not debate the question; he will address the substance of the question, which is, 'What has the government done?' He might supply us with some information on that point, rather than what the opposition hasn't done.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir; I understand they're having a bad day, so I will get back to pricing and deregulation of electricity markets. We have fundamentally changed the energy market in South Australia. Given that members opposite—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second time; there will be no further warnings to the Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The reality is that after the opposition, when it was in government, privatised our assets what they did not do was give South Australians the benefit of a deregulated market, which means that South Australians were denied—

The SPEAKER: Minister for Energy, will you please return to the substance of the question rather than give us a history lesson about the former government.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: And I call the member for Unley to order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This government has fundamentally changed the energy market, allowing Holden and other manufacturers in this state to buy electricity in a deregulated market, which has afforded them—

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Kavel to order, who's particularly rowdy.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The one man we fear, sir. The government has afforded companies like Holden and other manufacturers the ability to buy electricity in a deregulated market, which has seen prices drop in South Australia and, of course, that's evidenced by the drop in power prices across the board.