Power Outages

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:40): Again, to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy: why did the minister say on ABC radio on 9 February that the South Australian government is not responsible for the list of customers to be cut off when electricity is rationed under load shedding, when it is actually done based on advice from the Office of the Technical Regulator?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:41): When I say 'government', I am talking about ministers. I have to say that it is much better that this is done independently of me to make sure that there is no political opportunism. Imagine the outrage from members opposite if the load-shedding list had a list of Liberal-held electorates. What would the cries be then?

Of course they are done independently of me. I don't direct where they should load shed. I leave that to the experts to make sure that they can design the list. We don't do this on a political level, and members opposite should know that but, of course, if they want me to, I will. Quite frankly, I would have thought, after his demotion, he would have known better than to check.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Keep on asking. Is that it? No wonder you got demoted.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned. The deputy leader.