Energy Policy

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Energy. Can the minister explain—

Ms Stinson: Just look at her face.

The SPEAKER: Order! I'm trying to hear this question, member for Badcoe.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I'm being monstered by the Minister for Primary Industries.

The SPEAKER: I think you have been giving it as much as you have been getting it, sir. The member for Lee has the call.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Energy. Can the minister explain the $4.1 million figure he referred to on the ABC news last night? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: On the ABC news last night, the minister stated:

I can't remember whether that $4.1 million figure was the number I was meant to give you or not, so can you not use that? Is that okay everybody?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:51): What an obvious question to receive today. The only thing we can say about that is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister is attempting to answer the question, please.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: You saw how angry the member for West Torrens was when he was kicked out because he wanted to ask it. The teamwork over there is not quite what it should be because—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, please do not provoke the opposition. Please get on with the answer.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: By my calculations, the member for West Torrens will be due back with about seven minutes left in question time—

The SPEAKER: Not that you are counting.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —so he could have saved it. The reason this question has been asked is that those opposite do not—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: It's because you look like a dill.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —understand how to try to be as transparent and forthright as possible with the public of South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —and simultaneously be cautious about what information should be shared. Mr Speaker, let me—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —enlighten you, the house and the shadow minister, who was one of the leaders of the previous government who did not operate that way. Of course, he was not quite as senior a leader as he had hoped to be or hopes to be now; nonetheless, he was on the team. I was in a press conference talking about the former government's failed energy policy—their $610 million generator bill for generators that have never been used.

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Waite is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I was being as open and forthright as I possibly could. It did occur to me that perhaps I had used a number that I should not have. I was very open and very forthright, as was my wont at the time, and I said that to everybody present—to the five experienced political journalists—at the time. They understood. I went and checked. I immediately went and checked with my department and checked with my Chief of Staff and was told that actually it was okay. But I take transparency and my obligation to share information as best I can and my obligation not to share information that I shouldn't equally responsibly, and so, out of an abundance—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: It would be a shame to kick her out twice on the same day—

The SPEAKER: Let's get on with it minister, please.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —after the true deputy leader has just pushed her back to her rightful spot. So, out of an abundance of caution, I said, 'Look, hang on, I'll just check.' I checked and everything was okay. Absolutely everything was okay. So, Mr Speaker, that is the answer to their question, and do you know what? If they wanted to be as transparent and responsible as we are, they would have a chance, a small chance, at the next election. But they're not, so they don't.