Alinta Energy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): Supplementary, sir: what is the effect on the state's GDP from the closure of the Northern power station?

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:43): Firstly, it's gross state product, not gross domestic product, and importantly—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Importantly, as the Premier outlined, this was about to occur anyway. The question then is: if you spend money to prop something up that is going to close anyway, without any guarantee of it staying—

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order, sir: I ask you to bring the Treasurer back to the substance, or anywhere near the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: Treasurer, continue.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —then I think the question doesn't really contemplate the ultimate answer, which is that the impact of the loss of those jobs was going to occur anyway and, of course, it has occurred and we have seen 18 months of continuous job growth. We have seen our economy break the $100 billion mark for the first time. We have seen new investment through what I think are quite revolutionary types of investment in intensive agriculture in Port Augusta. What you are seeing—

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: That was happening anyway.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —is that transition—

The SPEAKER: The member for Stuart is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I have to say that I find it very interesting how it is entirely our fault, according to the opposition, that Alinta closed or we can't take any credit for Pelican Point opening.

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Yes, the Treasurer is debating the question. I uphold the point of order. Member for Light.