Question Time

Electricity Generation

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Does the minister stand by his statement on radio this morning that, when the government takes back South Australia's electricity generation assets, load shedding 'won't ever happen again'?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:04): I think the real question is: does the Leader of the Opposition stand by the member for MacKillop's remarks when he said 'Privatising ETSA was for the benefit of—

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Ms CHAPMAN: The Premier opened with, 'I think the real question is'. That is clearly debate and we need to start to discuss another matter.

The SPEAKER: I think a minister is allowed just a little bit of licence at the opening of the question—all ministers, that is, except the Treasurer. That is very close to a bogus point of order, but I will let it go on this occasion. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The whole question is predicated on essentially purchasing back assets. Does the Leader for the Opposition stand by the member for MacKillop's remarks when he said that privatising ETSA was for the benefit of South Australia or, indeed, the member for Stuart's remarks when he said that privatisation of ETSA was a necessary step? This is the guilty party. They are addicted to their former decision of—

The SPEAKER: Premier, splendid debating points. Could we have some information relating to standing by the minister's remarks on radio this morning?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What we know is that South Australians have been put in a position for its electricity market which has been created by the sale of each of the various components of it to private companies—private companies owning the transmission assets, the distribution assets, the generation assets and also the retailing arrangements for the electricity trust of South Australia. Worse than just the sale of those assets was the way it was privatised. It was privatised in a way that severed the relationship between South Australia and New South Wales in an attempt to drive up the price of those assets.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Back your shadow minister. Back him up.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order and warned. The question was about, as I understand it—

Mr Marshall: Load shedding.

The SPEAKER: Well, nationalisation leading—

Mr MARSHALL: The question was whether or not the minister stood by his claim this morning that there will be no further load shedding in South Australia. We haven't been near that issue so far.

The SPEAKER: I thought there was a prelude to that where there was some discussion of taking back the asset leading to load shedding.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Premier, can you be seated.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call to order the members for Finniss, Stuart, Mitchell, Chaffey and Adelaide, and I warn the members for Finniss and Unley. Would the deputy leader read the question again?

Mr Marshall: It is my question, but I am sure she can read it.

Ms CHAPMAN: I am happy to read it, 'Does the minister stand by his statement on radio this morning that, when the government takes back South Australia's electricity generation assets, that load shedding—

The SPEAKER: So, it was about nationalisation leading to whether or not there would be load shedding after that happened.

Ms CHAPMAN: That was the statement: 'It won't ever happen again.' That was the statement he made—

The SPEAKER: Would the deputy leader be seated. I think the leader misled me in his point of order, and his remarks come very close to misleading the house by his representation of what was in the question. The Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. What we saw this morning was an example of an opposition who have got caught out. They thought they would sneak in here and make a few points about electricity, and we were prepared to have a full debate, a debate that will occur throughout the course of this afternoon because we will debate anybody anytime on this question. And the deputy leader—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

Ms CHAPMAN: Not only is this matter irrelevant—

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order. I would like to listen to the Premier for about 30 seconds before I rule.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, sir, if I may, and it's not just a question of relevance. The Premier is reflecting on a debate in relation to a matter that is currently before the parliament and about to resume after question time.

The SPEAKER: The opposition asked the question. If they were concerned about pre-empting the outcome of the debate, they wouldn't have asked the question. Would you like to withdraw the question?

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: surely the opposition is entitled to ask questions—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned for cackling.

Mr GARDNER: —that are not pertinent to the exact wording of a motion that is before the house. The Premier is still debating the motion from this morning. This question is about a nuanced other matter.

The SPEAKER: Well, I don't know what to make of that point of order. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I can help the deputy leader perhaps with a legal concept, one she would be familiar with: it's called a consciousness of guilt. The Liberal Party is returning to the question of privatisation because they know that the people of South Australia will hold them to account for their decision. They will hold them to account.

When you talk about taking back control of these assets and taking back control of the electricity system, there is only one reason why we need to contemplate such a proposition and that is that those opposite sold these assets and sold the control of our electricity system. Then when we are promoting year after year, for the best part of a decade, the solutions that would allow this National Electricity Market to operate effectively, they are scotched at every turn—the sabotage of national electricity policy.

It was this government that commissioned the Garnaut report. It was taken over by a federal Labor government when all of the states and territories at that point were Labor and combined together to commission that most important report. The single element that was at the heart of that report is that the world is changing. It will be a carbon-constrained future, and those jurisdictions that act first will minimise the cost for their jurisdiction and also gain the benefits for their citizens as they seek to adopt new technologies and to find a vision for a low-carbon future for their communities.

It is those opposite who stood trenchantly against that policy perspective. They have tried to destroy it at every turn and that is why we are contemplating taking back the charge of our energy system. It will lead to a more secure supply. It will lead to cheaper energy prices—

The SPEAKER: The Premier's time has expired.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —and it will lead to a cheaper energy system.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mount Gambier is called to order, and the leader and the deputy leader are warned. Leader.