Electricity Prices

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:15): A further question to the Minister for Regional Development: does the minister agree with the public statements made by BHP Billiton and Nyrstar that issues with the reliability and affordability of electricity in South Australia are impacting operations, profitability and ongoing viability of economic activity and employment in this state?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:15): I think the Minister for Energy has spoken long and eloquently about challenges facing our energy market and has worked in a cooperative way with the commonwealth government and his other state energy market colleagues to make improvements to the system. There is no doubt that there are challenges right across the nation with the National Electricity Market, and Minister for Energy has spoken long and eloquently about those challenges and how those challenges might be met.

Just talking down the South Australian economy and talking down our employers—significant employers—I think is very regrettable. As we speak, the Treasurer and the Minister for Energy, in a bipartisan way, with the federal minister (minister Hunt) is in Korea to make sure that we can secure the long-term future of the Whyalla steelworks, and it is unfortunate that the opposition in this state cannot take the same bipartisan approach that we have seen in this particular matter—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: debate.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order, and the member for Colton is called to order for that last interjection.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is called to order. The member for Stuart.