Bills

Statutes Amendment (National Energy Laws) (Stand-Alone Power Systems) Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 3 December 2020.)

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (12:00): To be fair, I cannot remember what I was up to, so I will start again. No, I am only kidding.

The Hon. D.C. van Holst Pellekaan: You were winding up.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I was winding up, was I? Yes, I have to say I have a bit of sympathy for the minister today. He has had a bad day. He knows what I am talking about.

The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I am being jovial, sir.

The SPEAKER: I am advised the Minister for Energy and Mining is on his feet and closing debate.

The Hon. D.C. van Holst Pellekaan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Energy and Mining has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (12:01): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and it is a pleasure to continue the fantastic day that I am having today by closing this debate. There was an issue raised by the member last time around with regard to not having had a briefing. I am reliably informed by my staff that a briefing was offered but the offer was not responded to, but I am equally reliably informed that immediately upon finishing the last stage of this debate before Christmas my staff member, my adviser and the shadow minister were able to meet together then.

If there are any issues that the member still has which are concerning him with regard to this bill, we are always ready, willing and able to talk about them. This was a COAG initiative. It is true to say that it is somewhat surprising that the COAG Energy Council, as it was at the time, agreed to do something which, if enacted here there or the other, would actually reduce minutely the size of the NEM.

Nonetheless, this has been done very much with consumers in mind. This is about giving distribution companies the opportunity to provide for reliable, good quality electricity to consumers in a way that is cheaper than they would be able to do if they did not have this capacity and if they were required to stay officially part of the NEM rather than set up a standalone energy system for that group of providers.

I am happy to leave it there. I think this is a sensible step forward. It is a modern step forward. It is using some of the tools and the powers that we have available to us now, some of which were not available two years ago, certainly not four, six, eight, etc. It is part of an ongoing evolution. It is very much about trying to make sure that those who operate their various parts of the energy system have the flexibility to deliver, with consumers front of mind, the best things that consumers could want rather than require them to stick with what was only available not too long ago. This is all about consumers.

Bill read a second time.

Third Reading

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (12:05): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (12:05): I do thank the government for their briefing. Without wanting to bring any partisanship into this debate, I do not think I said I had not been offered a briefing; I just said I had not had a briefing, which is very different. Yes, I was offered a briefing, but my schedule did not allow me to meet at that time. Of course, we facilitated the government as quickly as we possibly could, given that this is a national reform. I understand that. The opposition is not trying to hold up these national reforms. As we always have, we will allow it to have a speedy passage through both houses. If we have any questions to raise between the houses, we will do so with the government.

Bill read a third time and passed.