Carbon Emissions

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:33): Supplementary, and to help the minister: Volume 4, Budget Paper 3, page 178 said that the government's budget for the share of renewable energy in South Australia last year was 55.1 per cent and the budget paper says that the target share of renewable energy this financial year is 43.5 per cent. That is a reduction in the Treasurer's own budget and I am asking him why he is reducing his budget.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:34): AEMO now have regulations in place that could either (1) constrain the amount of renewable energy available in the system or (2) have more than two generators on at any one time. They make factors for what they think will be in terms of wind and solar that will be available. The Bureau of Meteorology is planning to make assumptions about what they think we will generate. It is on that basis that these assumptions are made, I am advised, so it's not so much a matter that we are budgeting for any of these things.

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I say to the junior shadow minister, if he has a question, ask it. Yelling interjections is not a substitute for parliamentary debate. Get up and ask the question. You are paid a 20 per cent loading—earn it.