Question Time

Hydrogen Power Plant

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): My question is to the Premier. How much taxpayer money has been spent on the Premier's hydrogen power plant election promise?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:07): As I just outlined in my ministerial statement to the parliament, the generators have taken up a large portion of that. They will now be sold to a participant on the basis that they will be deployed in South Australia. The major option there is that we are ruling out a sale to current gentailers. So AGL, Origin, the larger gentailers in South Australia, need not apply for these generators. They won't be sold for tolling either. They will be sold to someone who is prepared to go after the market share, go after customers, in South Australia. That will be a cabinet process and the cabinet will decide on that.

In terms of the ECI process, the early contractor involvement and engagement process, there are a lot of learnings there which are very valuable to the state in terms of the hydrogen industry, which we want to maintain. I hear my friend the Leader of the Opposition, had a lot of time on his own last night to contemplate his thoughts in Whyalla, surrounded by his friend. And I thought to myself—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, can you resume your seat? There's a point of order. Members on my right and members on my left, including the leader—members will come to order. The Minister for Education is on his final call and the Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition—the Leader of the Opposition, I called you four times. It's your deputy who is rising on a point of order. It would be courteous if you and others on both sides listen to the point of order.

Mr TEAGUE: Standing order 98: the minister has just now embarked upon what appears to be the beginning of a fireside chat. It was a very straightforward question: how much has been spent? He can't debate the point. He needs to answer the question.

The SPEAKER: I think he was answering the question, but I think he was straying a little bit there. It didn't seem as friendly as a fireside chat, though. I will monitor him and see how he goes.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I will of course take your rulings. You are a Speaker who is not going to be removed from office halfway through your tenure.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sorry, too soon? So, Mr Speaker, we want the generators to be sold. That will recoup a large portion. Overwhelmingly, a vast amount of the money is still available for the steel package. It is important to note that the policy of the South Australian government was that the capital from the Hydrogen Jobs Plan was not to be used as an operational use, so the Treasurer would give operational costs to the Office of Hydrogen Power SA. That has been in the last three budgets. So there is almost all of the money available still for the steel package.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond, final warning!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What I will do is I will come back to the house with a detailed answer.