Carbon Emissions Reduction

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister confirm the South Australian government remains committed to its net zero targets and are there any other views?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:04): This is so last weekend, isn't it? Yes, I can confirm under the leadership being shown by this government, our government remains committed to our net zero targets, especially in the area of energy production. The state remains committed to an emissions reduction target of at least 60 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030 and we support the Albanese government's vision of being net zero by 2050.

I am proud to say that we are on track to achieving our 100 per cent net renewable electricity generation by 2027. That is world-leading. Notice the silence opposite.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yesterday we played a little game about guess who and it was very popular, so I thought I would bring it back for another bit of a rerun. Let me give you another quote and maybe we can guess who said this:

The policy motions went ahead regardless and sadly my predictions have come to pass, that in a press conference today (focused) on state council's decision to include on its agenda a bunch of virtue-signalling motions.

Before you make a guess, I will go on:

Let's break this down. Some people within the Liberal Party decided that it would be a good idea to pass policy motions, among other things, opposing net zero, after:

One, we have just suffered a massive election loss in which the entire federal policy platform clearly didn't resonate with voters.

Two, as a consequence, the newly elected federal team has rather sensibly decided to put all polices under review.

Three, as a state team, we are on the record for supporting legislation to this effect.

This is a very sensible quote. That must have been someone outside the Liberal Party, right? You would think so. No-one inside that party would be saying this after Alex Antic and Vincent Tarzia did so much to make sure that net zero was off the agenda. Of course, it turns out it is the one former cabinet minister of the Marshall government not on the front bench who still has some sense: the Hon. Michelle Lensink in another place. It is remarkable, the sense, that she is speaking out. She goes on:

I have formed the view that there are elements in our party who are—

The SPEAKER: Minister, there's a point of order from the deputy leader.

Mr TEAGUE: It is standing order 98(a); the substance of the question is the test. The question does not even contain any reference to other alternatives.

The SPEAKER: Yes, it did. The question was, 'Are there any alternate views?' and the minister is giving—

Mr TEAGUE: What is the state government's position?

The SPEAKER: And is the minister aware of any alternate views? The minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I will start again:

I have formed the view that there are elements in our party who are so ideological, that they refuse to see their rigid adherence to their views (at all costs) is part of the problem.

We have people within the Liberal Party who spend all their time pointlessly trying to win cultural wars internally. That is the reason why I will call out such poor judgement every single time.

While every other South Australian is worried about the cost of living, worried about their children's future, worried about getting ahead, they are fighting about culture wars. They think it's 1996, they don't know it's 2025. This is your own people, speaking. Listen to your own people.