Hydrogen Power Plant

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question again is to the Premier. Was the Premier's hydrogen power plant dependent on GFG Alliance and, if so, since when? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: On 14 May 2024, the Premier said, and I quote:

We are confident that whatever happens with GFG themselves will not deter the government from realising its ambitions for a green energy powerhouse being based in and around the Upper Spencer Gulf through hydrogen and green iron production…

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley, your leader has asked a question. The Premier hasn't started answering it and you are yelling out. Can we just have some quiet so we can hear what the answer is?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:12): I welcome the Leader of the Opposition reciting my words back to me, because it remains true. We are committed to making sure that all of the potential that we see in the Upper Spencer Gulf is realised, particularly around decarbonisation. We know definitively, because the science tells us it is true, that in order to be able to decarbonise steel and iron production globally hydrogen will have a role to play, which is why we remain committed to the endeavour. But we also know that the very reason why our policy was centred in and around Whyalla was because of the existence of a magnetite resource sitting immediately adjacent to an integrated steelworks and that being part of our ambition and the reason why we made that commitment in the first instance. What we have announced today—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —is a comprehensive program that sets up Whyalla to be able to realise that very ambition. We accept that Mr Gupta made a range of commitments, starting with the big reveal next to Prime Minister Morrison and Premier Marshall.

Mr Telfer interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders, stop yelling out across the chamber, stop pointing at the Premier and remain silent for the rest of question time.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We all witnessed the big reveal being made at the end of December 2018 next to Premier Marshall and Prime Minister Morrison. The promises that were made by Mr Gupta back then were an ambition which I think everyone would have liked to have seen come to fruition. Alas, Mr Gupta clearly has not been able to deliver the capital and the investment that was required to be able to realise it. Of course, more than that, what we have seen ever since then is a gradual, more recently rapid deterioration in his financial position vis-a-vis the position of the steelworks, which then required an activist government to step up to the plate, assume the responsibility, and choose to respond and act, and that is exactly what we have done. That is exactly what we have done.

Now, more than that, rather than just an immediate and surgical intervention into the Whyalla Steel Works Act, facilitated by the parliament, which you voted for yesterday, for which we are grateful, what we have also married it up with is the most comprehensive steel industry package that this country has ever seen—a $1.9 billion investment between the state government and the commonwealth to start to realise the ambition of EAF and DRI that will then generate demand for hydrogen.

We are proud of that package and what the Leader of the Opposition would know I assume if he took the time yesterday on the ground in Whyalla last night and this morning, if he took the time to just canvass that policy with anyone on the ground in Whyalla, if he went to a coffee shop, if he went to a butcher or a candlestick maker in Whyalla—is that the people of Whyalla are relieved. They are relieved that there is a serious policy and a serious package and we would welcome bipartisan support for it.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, everyone on my left is on their final warning with the exception of the Member for Finniss. The member for Finniss is a fine, outstanding example of how to be well behaved. On my right, the member for Florey is also on his final call, and the member for Playford, you watch yourself, you are in the same category as the member for Finniss, some of the quietest people I have met. The Leader.