Energy and Emissions Reduction Agreement

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:36): My question is to the Premier. Is the memorandum of understanding announced by the Premier and the Prime Minister in Clare publicly available and will the government table a copy of the MOU in the House of Assembly?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:36): There is an enormous amount of information public about this MOU. There is also a—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: There is an enormous amount of information publicly available about this memorandum of understanding. It would be quite unusual if the Prime Minister and the Premier came together to make an announcement but didn't share a great deal of information. We are also very close to finalising a draft.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for West Torrens is warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee will cease interjecting.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will cease interjecting.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier is called to order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier is called to order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right! The minister will resume his seat for a moment. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: We are very close to finalising the draft. The concrete terms of that draft are agreed. The specifics are agreed and locked in between the state and the federal government, between the Marshall government and the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The key terms, the key conditions, the key determinants of this MOU are set. There is a small amount of work to do just to finalise the document before it is made public. I know those opposite can't wait to get it because they will learn a lot from it. They can't wait to get it because it might start to create the foundation of their so far non-existent energy policy.

Those opposite who gave South Australia by many accounts the most expensive electricity in the world, and more and more unacceptable blackouts, are pretending to care about emissions while at the same time spending over $600 million of taxpayers' money on dirty diesel generators. I am not surprised those opposite want to see the memorandum of understanding. They are desperate to get advice on energy policy from wherever they can get it. Our energy policy is very transparent. We developed our energy policy in opposition, we took it to the last election—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Wright!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —and we are delivering it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: And that energy policy that we are delivering is working. The foundation of this memorandum of understanding is there for all to see. The federal government put out media releases, the state government put out media releases, we have answered questions in all sorts of different formats, sharing the important information that is attached to this, including my answer to the previous question, and those opposite will just have to wait a little while longer to get the actual document when it is finalised.

Perhaps then they will be able to start to develop their energy policy instead of the fictitious positions that they have taken publicly to oppose the interconnector, to support the interconnector, to oppose the interconnector. Of course, as we get closer to the election they will have to start to firm up those things, and no doubt this memorandum of understanding will help them do that.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Hammond, I warn the member for Playford, I warn for a second time the member for Lee and the member for West Torrens, and I warn the leader and the member for Chaffey.