Alinta Energy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier reject Alinta's estimate that keeping the Northern power station open would have improved regional GDP by $150 million per year?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:42): I wish the leader would just think through his questions before he asks me. Alinta were always planning to close. The effect on regional GDP was going to happen with or without any proposition about them staying for a little while longer. So, the estimates about the effect on the gross state product of Alinta leaving were always going to occur.

The only proposition that could have been caused by Alinta staying a little longer is that it would have frozen out the sorts of investments that we now see are being made by places like Pelican Point. It would have crowded out other forms of investment in the South Australian energy market. It would have led to the mines for capacity payments in the way in which the minister has suggested. So, we had a choice: do we invest in the past and give false hope to the people of Port Augusta, or do we invest in the future, and ensure that we give them a bright energy future—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —which is stable and secure and sustainable into the future, and we chose the future.

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is on two warnings.