Electricity Generation

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:43): My question again is for the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. What action is the minister taking to prevent further blackouts in our state, given that AEMO has reported that South Australia is at risk of separation from the rest of the NEM 10 times in the next nine months?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:43): We have at a national level been advocating for a number of years—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —for the policy initiative which will, on any view of it, provide the solution to South Australia's and indeed the nation's economic security issues. It will provide for cleaner, more affordable—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Deputy leader, you are on a full set of warnings.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —more secure power and all it requires those opposite to do is to wean themselves off their addiction to the coal industry and the money that flows into Liberal Party coffers, which is essentially driving—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir: it's debate and imputing improper motive.

The SPEAKER: I'm sorry, what's the improper motive? I missed it.

Mr GARDNER: Talking about funding to political parties, sir.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order. The Premier will address the substance of the question.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The substance of the question is to have a functioning National Electricity Market, not a broken electricity market where private sector operators can game the market and decide to withdraw capacity to provide power and cause blackouts. Is anybody seriously suggesting that a system that can permit a generator, which is actually available to provide power, to withhold that power and cause a blackout is anything other than a dysfunctional National Electricity Market?

That is what we are dealing with here in South Australia, and it is extraordinary that those opposite defend that state of affairs. The reason we have that situation—

Mr Marshall: We're not defending it. You said you were going to come up with a solution. Where is it?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Let me tell you. The reason—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: the question was, very simply: what action is the government going to take?

The SPEAKER: Yes. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Advocating at a national level for energy intensity schemes that will ensure we have a price on carbon, to make sure that we have the best—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —scheme necessary for those people to invest in cleaner generation, driving competition into the South Australian energy market, firming up our supply, driving down prices and, in the process, cleaning up our energy generation. All those things are available. Don't take my word for it: take the Chief Scientist's word for it—

Mr Treloar interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This is precisely the scheme that he recommended to the Turnbull government. It is precisely the scheme that the minister, Josh Frydenberg, publicly floated before he had that cut down when the coal industry interests grabbed hold of Queensland federal MPs, reached into the heart of the Liberal Party and got this Prime Minister, who believes that renewable energy is the future for this country, to turn his back on that.

What does this Prime Minister now stand for? He has sacrificed everything he has ever believed in, and for the most venal of reasons: his own political survival. It is as simple as that. The answer is absolutely clear, the answer that we have been advocating for at a national level is absolutely clear.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order: the Premier is debating the substance—

The SPEAKER: The Premier was debating the matter. He now seems to be returning to the substance.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Precisely, sir. This issue—

Mr Pengilly: Keep the lights on, Jay.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We are attempting to do that, and we would be grateful for your assistance. The great difficulty, to quote a headline from today, is that we are witnessing the end of the Liberal Party. We are seeing the disintegration of the Liberal Party at a national level. They cannot work together in the national interest.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop is called to order for interjecting, 'Another bloody wind farm.'

Mr Williams: Sir, I said, 'Build another bloody wind farm.' They are generating about 12 megawatts out of about 2,000. They are fantastic.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Leader.