House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Hydrogen Production Hydrogen Production Mr PATTERSON House of Assembly Morphett Hydrogen Production Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:11): My question is to the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer stand by the cost of the hydrogen power plant identified in the state budget, and has he received any advice or modelling from any government agency regarding the cost of the plant? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. Mr PATTERSON House of Assembly Morphett Mr PATTERSON: The state budget and Labor's election commitment promised that the cost of the experimental hydrogen plant would be $593 million. The Auditor-General's Report states that the new hydrogen facility is the most significant new investment initiative and its detailed costings are not yet finalised. The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly Lee Treasurer The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer) (14:11): I thank the member for his question. Of course, we have budgeted, as we committed to do at the election, $593 million for the infrastructure that the Premier has just outlined. I would beg to differ in one small way, perhaps, with the Auditor-General. I am not quite sure these are the most significant investments the state will be undertaking. We have the north-south corridor, for example, which is, I understand, slightly more than $593 million— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly Lee Treasurer The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —but we are hoping to be close to it. We've also got a new— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Colton! The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly Lee Treasurer The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —Women's and Children's Hospital, which will be slightly more. Nonetheless, it doesn't detract from the point central to the member's question that it is a significant investment. That is the best advice we've got but, of course, what will ultimately determine this is what comes back when we go out to market, when we call for responses to tender processes. We are obviously not quite at that stage yet. That will inform it, but that's why we budgeted that amount of money—because that's the advice that is current.