Energy Prices

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My supplementary is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer update the house and the people of South Australia as to how much money has been spent by this government on advertising and promoting their energy plan to date? How much is envisaged between now and the next election? Can the Treasurer confirm that there are no media bookings made by this government with regard to their energy plan beyond 17 March next year?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:34): Twelve months ago today the Prime Minister of this country attacked the reputation of this state in a way that I thought was probably the most unbecoming act of an Australian prime minister that I can remember.

At a time when we were suffering a statewide blackout, the state was suffering from floods, our emergency services were stretched and South Australians were looking for a helping hand from their commonwealth government, the Prime Minister didn't just attack this government, he attacked South Australia. He attacked our economy. He attacked every single South Australian and poured ridicule on our state and every cent we are spending—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Before I take the point of order, the member for Adelaide I warn. Point of order.

Mr MARSHALL: It's 98, sir: the minister is not addressing the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: The minister hasn't quite got to the substance of the question yet. I trust he is on his way.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The preamble is: why the advertising campaign? The advertising campaign is that we had the leader of this nation attack his own people, attack his own citizens and attack his own jurisdictions. The reputational damage that he attempted to—

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: I would just like to give the minister a chance to get to the centre of the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's in the interests of the South Australian economy and the people of this state that the government do all it can to repair that reputational damage that the Prime Minister of this nation inflicted on this state, and I have to say it's worth every single cent. Business SA has estimated that the statewide blackout cost the South Australian economy in excess of $400 million. The reputational damage that the Prime Minister has inflicted on this state is still unquantified.

Yet, despite that reputational damage, we have seen dramatic investments in South Australia, and we will continue to advertise the repair that we have done to make sure that we have reliable and affordable power and that we are investing in our economy to make sure that people who invest here know that they can invest here with certainty. It's important that the government inform the private sector that what the Prime Minister has said about our state is simply untrue and was politically motivated and based on lies—based on lies.

The SPEAKER: Is there any chance that the minister will furnish—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, sir, for your interventions again. I appreciate it.

The SPEAKER: —a number, and if the minister doesn't have a number or a range of numbers could he take it on notice?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir. Of course, the government makes all of its spending on advertising public and will do so at the appropriate time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I warn the members for Hammond and Mitchell.