Electricity Prices

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. Has the minister sought advice regarding the ongoing viability of projects which have received state government grants via the Regional Development Fund following increased regional electricity prices associated with the closure of the Port Augusta and now the Hazelwood power stations?

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Local Government) (14:09): The Regional Development Fund across all of regional South Australia has been a great success. With the first two rounds for $33 million we have created over 2,200 jobs in the long term, but the good thing about it is that the Regional Development Fund rounds one and two attracted $933 million worth of private equity from the regional areas of South Australia. We are all concerned about life in general. We are all concerned about the future direction and where we are going. The members on the other side there, I don't hear any—

Mr Gardner: So what's the impact of the power prices?

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned for the second and final time for an interjection some moments ago.

Mr KNOLL: Point of order: the minister is now entering debate, standing order 98.

The SPEAKER: I'm sorry, how was he entering debate?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Harden up snowflakes!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: Mr Speaker, I travel extensively across all of regional South Australia and I hear nothing but optimism out there. There are challenges out there, we all know that, but one of the things I do hear is—

Mr Gardner: Nothing but optimism—who are you talking to?

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

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on his final warning, despite the member for Wright not being here today to dob him in!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Quite—I warn myself.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: If I could have a bit of quiet on the other side. People out there understand and they are understanding of how we came into the situation from many, many years ago. We can go back and hindsight is a wonderful thing, but one of the things that I am hearing from industries is that, yes, as the minister indicated previously, competition is good. However, one of the things that the general public are looking for is ideas. They are looking for cooperation between both sides of politics and the state. But we have one side speaking this economy down. We have enough challenges from people saying that this is—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Is the point of order that the minister is entering into debate?

Mr GARDNER: The substance of the question related to electricity prices.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold the point of order. Leader.