CLIMATE CHANGE

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (15:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Environment a question about climate change.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: In October last year, Mr John Martin, a commissioner of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, addressed a seminar in which he drew attention to green marketing claims being made. He described those as claims being made by providers of goods and services and governments. He said, 'If there is a green-edge to be found, it will be exploited.'

He warned consumers about what he called 'the latest and trendiest green marketing claims', namely 'carbon neutral'. In January this year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission subsequently issued a discussion paper on the same subject. The discussion paper pointed out that any claims about carbon offsets need to be assessed against the requirements of the Trade Practices Act, which prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct.

The discussion paper highlights the fact that difficulties in understanding and verifying these claims give rise to concerns that consumers may be facing misleading and deceptive conduct, and many of the questionable claims that are being made now are outlined in the discussion paper to which I draw the attention of members.

Desalination plants are energy intensive and involve significant emissions of greenhouse gases, according to experts. This government has announced that there will be a desalination plant established at Port Stanvac, and information indicates that this desalination plant planned by this government will consume more than 10 per cent of this state's electricity.

The Advertiser recently published an attractive piece headed 'How the Murray will be saved', in which it quotes this government as describing the new Port Stanvac desalination plant as 'a carbon neutral desalination plant'.

So, my questions for the Minister for Environment are: what grounds does this government have for making the claim that the proposed desalination plant will be carbon neutral, and what will the cost be to the South Australian taxpayer of ensuring the carbon neutrality of that plant?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health) (15:45): I am very pleased to take—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The minister does not require any help from those behind her.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I am very happy to take those questions on notice and pass them on to the minister in another place who is responsible for those particular policy areas. The desal plant is the responsibility of minister Maywald and, of course, carbon trading and offsets is a matter for the Office of Sustainability, so it is outside my purview.

What I can say is that this government has provided real environmental leadership on these matters in terms of energy improvements. We are one of the first states to introduce wind power and we have one of the highest proportions of alternative energies being provided into our grid. So, we have provided real leadership there, and we will continue to do so. The commitment of this government is to ensure the carbon neutrality of our desal plant, and that will be done through a carbon offset system. We are also the first—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am sure the environment will benefit from less hot air in here.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —Australian cabinet to give a commitment to be carbon neutral, in terms of offsets for our transport and such like. We have provided both national and international leadership, and we will continue to do so. In relation to the details, I am happy to pass those questions on to the appropriate minister or ministers in the other place and bring back a response.