Electricity Prices

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): Has the minister received any advice from his department as to the likely increase or change in the average electricity price in South Australia post the Hazelwood closure?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:22): As I said in my previous answer, the futures market is the best way of anticipating that. What we are seeing is dramatic increases—

Mr Marshall: Table your advice.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, (1) I am not going to table advice I have received because there is a long-term precedent in this place that we don't do that. If the opposition wants me to start—

Mr Marshall: You don't want tell people what bill shots are about to hit them?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Again, misinformation, just after I showed the house—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I give the Leader of the Opposition every scope to lead his party, but he is now abusing that freedom. I call him to order. If there is any repeat of what I just heard, he will be out. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The best indication is what happens to the futures market. If you look at the Hansard, at the previous questions the opposition have asked me to try to talk about future prices, it's the ASX. Interestingly, the Leader of the Opposition seems to think that South Australian householders pay the spot price for their electricity. They don't pay the spot price. I have to say, Mr Speaker, I think what you are seeing is the rest of the nation catching up to where South Australia was, if not exceeding it. Had it not been for our renewable energy coming on cheap, and if we were completely reliant just on fossil fuels, prices would have been a lot higher than they are now.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Before the leader asks his question, I call to order the member for Mitchell. I warn a first time the member for Schubert and the member for Mitchell, and I warn a second and a final time the members for Schubert and Mitchell. And, I wonder why is it that the member for Bright manages to behave in a gentlemanly and orderly fashion every parliamentary day? He's an exemplar!