Energy Prices

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is lowering energy costs for all South Australians?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:29): Thank you to the member for MacKillop for this very important question. Yes, we are working very hard to reduce costs. We have a firm commitment: reduced costs, better services, more jobs. With regard to how we are reducing energy costs, the question about reduction in energy costs can really only be answered if you look at where we have come from.

As the Premier has already said, in the last year of the former government's term in office electricity prices went up $268 for the average household in South Australia. In fact, for the last two years of the former government's time in office electricity prices went up $477 on average per household—an absolutely disgraceful performance.

Not surprisingly, we have that as a key effort. We are not satisfied yet with what we have achieved, but of course we are very pleased that under a Marshall Liberal government energy prices have started to come down. We do this very clearly, with firm and non-philosophical practical policies, in partnership with industry. We know that we are trying to set a framework within which industry will be encouraged to support all South Australians. That is exactly what is happening. While those opposite—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: referencing those opposite is debate, sir.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Okay, sure.

The SPEAKER: I am trying to be fair and consistent in my ruling here. I have had regard to other Speakers who have ruled accordingly, and in a consistent practice that I have referred to from time to time there is a bit of a theme. I reiterate that theme. I do not accept that point of order.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: With respect, what I was about to say was that, while those opposite are talking among themselves, I think it's very important that everybody in this house is aware of the fact—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: personal reflections on members. Would you uphold that, sir?

The SPEAKER: The minister did not identify any person in particular, but what I ask the minister to do is to please get on with it.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, I will assist you the very best I can. It is not only our government that is saying that electricity prices are going down: it is the ASX forward contracts.

Mr Hughes: It would have happened anyway.

The SPEAKER: The member for Giles is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: It would have, but it didn't. It is ESCOSA that is saying that electricity prices are going down. It is also the AER, the Australian Energy Regulator, saying that electricity prices are going down. We are doing the job that we said that we would do. Are we satisfied with what we have achieved yet? No, of course not, but under the Marshall Liberal government the tide has turned.

Very interestingly—and I hope nobody in this chamber takes offence at this—when I was a shadow minister there was a person who used to be quite prominent with regard to energy policy in this chamber who used to say that the ASX forward contract prices always actually turned out in reality to be lower when the time came round than they were predicted to be. I am encouraged by that person's comments because from that we can assume that the downward trend we are seeing in ASX forward contract prices will actually eventuate in even lower costs for South Australians.

That is what we are focused on: getting the cost of living down in every way possible, as low as possible for all South Australians. We are focused on this in many ways, including electricity costs, including energy costs more broadly. From the smallest household to the largest employer in this state, we are going to get cheaper electricity for them.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is warned.