House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Question Time Electricity Interconnector Electricity Interconnector The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS House of Assembly Black Leader of the Opposition Electricity Interconnector The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Does the minister still oppose the establishment of South Australia's power interconnector with New South Wales? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS House of Assembly The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: During the past four years, the minister was constantly critical of the establishment of this interconnector regularly describing it as presenting a massive risk to South Australia that would rip off consumers. This was despite expert industry advice that this project will increase reliability, competition and supply while driving down prices and attracting billions of dollars of investment and hundreds of jobs in major renewable projects along its route. This interconnector was promised by Labor 20 years ago, but it took the Marshall government to ensure that work got underway. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister for Energy and Mining The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:05): I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to provide a quote of the last four years where I opposed the construction of the interconnector. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I am not— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! While the standing orders— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens! The leader and the member for West Torrens will cease their exchange. Members will know that ministers have a wide latitude as to responding; however, that response does come very close to breaching the standing orders.