Renewable Energy

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister update the house on the Climate Council's recent renewable energy report card for South Australia?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:46): Thank you to the member for Newland for this very important question, from the doctor MP for Newland, who studies these things very closely.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left, be quiet.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: We have some fantastic news. The Climate Council in its report last week undertook what it calls its report card of the states from its perspective with regard to environmental responsibility and environmental policy. I am very pleased to advise the house that South Australia has come in number one in the nation.

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Ramsay is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Those opposite scoff. They clearly don't think that—

Mr Hughes interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Giles!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —there's anything of importance in this announcement. They don't appreciate the fact that in the last 12 months we have overtaken one state and one territory—the ACT and Tasmania—to move to number one. The Marshall Liberal government is doing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Giles is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Those opposite continue to scoff.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: They can explain their scorn for the Climate Council to the Climate Council if they want to, but the reality is that our government is achieving what the former government could not. The former government—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is on two warnings.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The former government had an all-or-nothing approach to environmental matters, particularly in the area of energy policy. They just wanted as much renewable energy as possible and they did not care about the impact on consumers. We saw blackout after blackout after blackout. We saw prices—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: debate.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is for debate. As on previous occasions, I have allowed some compare and contrast to previous regimes to a point. Minister.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: History notes it is clearly recorded that over the last several years our state experienced blackout after blackout after blackout and ever-increasing electricity prices. So what we have done with our energy policy is not take the all-or-nothing approach that was the hallmark of those in government over previous years and what we are doing is we are getting the mix right.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: We are encouraging renewable energy. We are encouraging grid-scale storage. We are encouraging household storage. We are encouraging demand response. We are encouraging interconnection with New South Wales. We know that we will have gas generation with us for years to come but less and less over time and more and more renewables.

Rather than just focusing on the ever increasing penetration of renewable energy generation, we are making sure that renewable energy works for consumers so that it is affordable so that it is reliable. We are seeing prices turn around. Those opposite hate it but the fact is electricity prices have turned the corner. Interestingly, the Climate Council of Australia recognises that our approach—the approach of getting the mix right and making renewable energy work for consumers, not just for the Labor Party's political ambitions to seem to be cleaner and greener than anybody else and throw consumers under the bus along the way, as they did—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: that is clearly debate.

The SPEAKER: I think the minister has finished his answer. Can you please wrap it up, minister?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: No, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: History shows that in previous years under the government of the day, consumers were thrown under the bus. That is a fact. We are making electricity more affordable, more reliable and cleaner for all South Australian electricity consumers.

The SPEAKER: Has the minister finished? The minister has finished his answer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: So the appropriate response to an opposition interjection is expulsion, but a minister can ignore your ruling.

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, you will get up and you will leave in silence. If you do not, I will name you.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: For 15 minutes, Mr Clerk. The member for Kaurna and then the member for Frome.