Economic Development Board

In reply to Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (28 July 2016). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier): I have been advised:

1. Workshops were held on 24 February 2016, 28 April 2016, 27 July 2016 and 10 August 2016.

The workshops were principally to provide unbiased and factual information about the National Electricity Market to delegates from large electricity consuming private companies operating in South Australia. These delegates were primarily from the mining and manufacturing sectors.

Senior government representatives from both the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Department of State Development were represented.

Other invited delegates also included AiGroup, the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) and BusinessSA.

The workshops included expert speakers from the Australian Energy Market Commission, the Australian Energy Market Operator, CQ Partners and Frontier Economics.

The intention of these workshops was to provide direct contact between private South Australian companies and experts in the operation of the National Electricity Market. Any specific outcomes that occur as a result of these workshops rest entirely with the board and management of the organisations that attended as delegates.

The Economic Development Board was completely independent and unbiased to any solution either presented or adopted by the delegates, if at all. The Economic Development Board's role was to act as an unbiased facilitator bringing the parties together.

2. There have been a total of four workshops held.