Kerin, Dr Paul

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): My question is to the Premier. What does it say about this government when the Premier's own self-confessed Labor-voting CEO of ESCOSA reveals that the government has, and I quote, 'No interest in genuine reform, nor in serving the long-term interests of consumers'?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:41): To quote John Olsen: only believe the ones who are telling you they are voting against you; don't believe the ones who are telling you they are voting for you.

Ms Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No doubt, Mr Speaker, this is a lesson that the Leader of the Opposition will learn in the coming months. This is a lesson that he will learn very soon. That letter was a political statement, not the statement of an independent regulator. He was making a political statement on the outcome of an election. I have to say this: this is a reformist government—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Who was it who deregulated electricity pricing? It was this Labor government. We are the ones who established ESCOSA. We are the ones who reformed our energy market, giving South Australians more contestability in the energy market—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —and we have seen those prices come down. No longer can the Liberal Party—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned a second and final time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —claim that we have the highest electricity prices in Australia. Why? Because of reforms that this government has made. That letter speaks to Mr Kerin's issues, not the government's.