Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time APY Lands, Electricity Supply APY LANDS, ELECTRICITY SUPPLY The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council APY LANDS, ELECTRICITY SUPPLY The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Regional Development, representing the Minister for Energy, a question about electricity problems on the APY lands. Leave granted. The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I have been contacted by a constituent from a homeland near Ernabella on the APY lands regarding ongoing power losses on her property and that of her neighbours nearby. This problem has been recurring for a number of years—in fact, since 2004—due to a faulty powerline. Power losses have been regular and ETSA, which is contracted to repair the lines, has only been able to do patch-up jobs without properly addressing the issue. The constituent must often wait up to 48 hours for ETSA to restore power. I am also advised that there are two other homelands on the affected powerline. I am told that the Aboriginal affairs minister is aware of the issue as she has been contacted about these regular power outages on the lands. I am unsure whether the Minister for Energy has been briefed on the situation. As well as the inconvenience it brings, the property's bore also requires power to operate, and therefore it is critical to the constituent that this problem be addressed. The constituent must run a generator at her own expense due to the regular loss of electricity. She is only seeking that the powerline in question be updated or maintained adequately—surely, not too much to ask. My question is: rather than once again ignoring the problems of rural South Australians, will the Minister for Energy and the minister for Aboriginal affairs work together to find a solution to this ongoing problem? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his important questions, and I will refer them to the Minister for Energy in another place and bring back a response.