Electricity Prices

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:27): A supplementary, sir: given the minister's answer why, within the last fortnight, did he unconditionally say that his energy plan would reduce electricity prices in South Australia, yet today he places conditions on that commitment?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:27): I place no conditions on it. With the Finkel inquiry, our reforms, and if there is a national reform prices will be lower. I have to say again that, in the absence of an alternative policy from members opposite, I think it is a bit rich that they have been asking us any questions on this. I want to have a debate with the member opposite, I would love to have a debate with the member opposite on his energy plan; I think that would be an excellent idea. When I say, 'Let's debate the idea,' he says, 'Get back to my question. Don't talk about my plan,' because there isn't one. There isn't an alternative option. The opposition is offering no—

Ms Sanderson: We ask the questions.

The SPEAKER: Did the member for Adelaide interject?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I would have suspended the member for Adelaide under the standing order, but I cannot bear dibber-dobbing.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order: the minister is debating the substance of the question again, talking about the opposition's position.

The SPEAKER: Can the Treasurer go a bit easy on the opposition?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, I will, sir. I don't mean to hurt him any further. I think it is important that this nation has a debate about energy policy. What Dr Finkel has done on behalf of COAG is travel around the world visiting many jurisdictions that are undergoing this transition. He has visited two contrasting jurisdictions that I think resemble our situation quite interestingly. He visited Denmark, he visited Europe, Germany and he visited Texas.

There are two similarities to Texas and Europe. Europe is an interconnected market that has a very large mix of energy: it has nuclear power, it has hydropower, it has wind, it has some tidal, I think, and it has a very large interface with a lot of gas generation.

Texas, unlike the rest of the US grid, is largely not interconnected to the rest of the US grid. It has very small interconnection points. They have integrated vast amounts of renewable energy into their grid. What Dr Finkel is saying is that these jurisdictions that have integrated cheaper renewable energy to transition away from coal have done so in a thoughtful process. What he has found is that we are the only country in the world that has signed the Paris Agreement to lower carbon emissions, but has no road map to do so. We are the only ones.

What he is saying, in effect, is that the commonwealth parliament have chosen the most expensive path to decarbonisation, rather than the cheapest. What he said was, 'Here is a road map that I have prepared for the commonwealth government that can get you decarbonisation, a transition to renewable energy and to maintain base load power, if you implement these recommendations.'

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: You are walking away from your commitment.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I don't know how that is me walking away from my commitment. What we have said is that our plan largely mirrors everything Dr Finkel has said he would do. A clean energy target and an energy security target—there is not much difference. We want more reserve generation in place. The Prime Minister is talking about building Snowy 2.0. We have made a government investment in generation to secure up the system. He is making the same investments. He wants to buy it off the Victorian government. The taxpayer already owns this asset. He wants more generation as well. What you are seeing is governments grappling with the private ownership of our electricity assets because of decisions made by members opposite—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —last century and they are still impacting today. I think we are not even 20 per cent into the term of the privatisation—

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: You are walking away.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We are not walking away from our commitment. What I would like to have is a debate. Let's debate it. Let's debate our plan and let's debate the opposition's plan. I will meet the opposition shadow spokesman anywhere, anytime and any place to debate our policy. When he eventually has the courage to release one and cost it, we will have a debate.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister's time has expired. The member for Chaffey will leave under the sessional order for the next hour for repeatedly interjecting.

The honourable member for Chaffey having withdrawn from the chamber: