Power Supply

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is again to the Premier. Can the Premier update the house on when he expects the power interconnector with Victoria to be back up and running?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:22): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The latest advice that we have received from ElectraNet—and I understand they may have made a public statement to this effect—is that they are aiming to have the interconnector up and running by the end of the weekend. Obviously, it's a very substantial exercise. There are complexities with the site in terms of heavy vehicle machinery that is required to be able to get to the particular location of erecting the appropriate towers that would be required.

To put a bit more detail around the challenge with the interconnector, as the Minister for Energy has explained with a degree of detail, the interconnector going down on the weekend as a result of the lightning strike in no way informed so many South Australians being out of power. In fact, the challenge that we've got in the days ahead is not to do with an undersupply of power due to the interconnector going down. It's quite the opposite: we have the challenge of dealing with an oversupply of power as solar panels kick into action as we start to see more sun come towards the state.

There will have to be active management of the grid over the course of the days ahead. We particularly turn our minds to Wednesday and Thursday to deal with that risk. Of course, the very fact that the state has a challenge in terms of oversupply of power speaks precisely to why this government has a very bold initiative, an incredibly progressive initiative, in building the world's—

Mr Tarzia: What did the Productivity Commission say about that one?

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is called to order. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —largest hydrogen electrolyser and power plant because so much of the principles that underpin our policy is the prospect of oversupply within South Australia—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —particularly with our strong prevalence of both wind and solar. In South Australia, we are very proud of the fact that we have not just led the country but led the world when it comes to renewable energy. I appreciate there were various iterations in the past. We have seen people complain about South Australia's position of leadership, comparing the big battery to the big banana and the like, but on this side of the house—

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order that I will hear from the member for Morialta under 134.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is called to order. The member for Morialta has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 98: the question was whether the Premier can update the house on when the power interconnector with Victoria would be up and running. He is now going far beyond that and debating.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully. I permit the Premier some latitude, as I do the leader. Some context is also permitted; however, I will draw the Premier's attention to the question.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I have updated the house in respect of the specific details that the Leader of the Opposition was asking, but it's important that the Leader of the Opposition, as all members of the South Australian public, understands that this government has a robust plan to deal with what we use oversupply of power for. On this side of the house, we believe in a clean energy future. On this side of the house, we are quite proud of the fact that we have a big policy and a big agenda to be able to use the challenges that we have in the system as an opportunity for the industrial benefit of the future of our state.