Electricity Generation

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:36): Does the contract extend to the operation of the generators as well as the acquisition and installation of the generators?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:36): APR will be operating the generators for the lease period. We have yet to determine whether they will be the successful applicants to run them on a permanent, long-term basis. I do note that the government is committed to having a permanent solution in place. I note that the opposition refuse to confirm that they won't privatise these assets if they get into office. They can't even help themselves in opposition by saying they won't sell electricity assets. Think of the urges they must have to sell every asset they have.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: If the leader or the deputy leader interject again, they will depart the chamber under the sessional orders. They have had a full set of warnings and subsequent warnings. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We haven't decided on who will be operating the generators on a permanent basis but, on a permanent basis, we would like to have an operator in full-time. The government unfortunately does not have the internal skills to operate a gas-fired power station, and the reason we don't is that it was privatised by members opposite. So we want to have a professional operator run these generators—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —remembering that these generators are not designed to compete in the market: they are designed to offer security services. While members opposite laugh, South Australians were load-shed unnecessarily in their privatised market. If we had had these generators in place then, that wouldn't have occurred, yet members still laugh.

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond, I call him to order.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: A supplementary, sir?

The SPEAKER: Just make it another question. You have had three supps.