Energy Policy

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Energy. Why has the minister still not given an explanation or an apology to the house since question time yesterday? In question time yesterday, when I asked the minister why the Australian Energy Market Operator predicts more involuntary electricity load shedding this summer than last summer, even after factoring in the government's energy plan, the minister said that AEMO had not factored in the government's plan.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:39): I stand by that, because, for the purposes the member is talking about, the RERT does not consider our generation—and I said that to the member at the end of question time yesterday. What the member is actually saying is that when AEMO put out their forecast for new participants to respond, our generator was not a new participant. Our generator is in the RERT and is under direction by the state government.

We are not a market participant. But I keep on saying this to the shadow minister and he keeps on ignoring it. What he is attempting to say somehow is that just because the government has invested in these generators, which he doesn't want, built the world's biggest lithium ion battery, which they don't want—they want to privatise our generators—what they are now saying is that even with that investment somehow we are short—

Mr KNOLL: Point of order: the minister has very quickly entered into debate.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you very much for your protection, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Well, it's always available to you.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is. I have enjoyed it from the first time I met you, sir.

The SPEAKER: Yes, and you are on two warnings.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: And, sir, for your generosity as well. I do stand by those remarks. What the shadow minister is attempting to say is, simply because AEMO know that they exist, that in their forecast and the forms that they use have all have been accounted for, which simply is not accurate.