Electricity Prices

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (15:02): My question is for the Minister for Energy. Does the minister agree with economist Bruce Mountain, who says that South Australia has the most expensive electricity in the world?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (15:02): No, I do not. Bruce Mountain is wrong and he is wrong on a number of the assumptions he has made. He is using 2016 prices. He has done some very complicated exchange-rate transfer on this, and quite frankly it doesn't stack up. Indeed, when you compare South Australia's wholesale prices and the spot price since 1 July, you have seen a dramatic shift in pricing from South Australia being one of the highest in the country to that title now belonging to Victoria and other jurisdictions.

Mr Knoll: And we're second.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, which one is it? Either we have the highest power prices in the world—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is—oh, dear me!

Mr MARSHALL: Should I take a minute?

The honourable member for Dunstan having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I do not agree with Mr Bruce Mountain. I think Mr Mountain's assertions are wrong, and I do note that there aren't many people in the industry who concur with Mr Mountain's assertions.