WIND FARMS

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Can the minister inform the chamber about the start of the Snowtown Stage 2 wind farm project, which will keep South Australia at the forefront of renewable energy?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for his very important question and I acknowledge his keen interest in renewable energy. Just last week, I represented the Premier at Snowtown, turning the first sod for the second stage of one of the most advanced wind farm developments in Australia. I was joined by TrustPower CEO Vince Hawkesworth, Siemens Australia CEO Jeff Connolly, the Danish Ambassador to Australia the Hon. Børge Petersen and Wakefield Council Mayor James Maitland.

TrustPower has invested $465 million in the Snowtown Stage 2, with around $75 million to be spent with local contractors and consultants. Combined with the $220 million in Snowtown Stage 1, TrustPower's total investment will rise to nearly $700 million. With around 150 to 200 staff employed during the construction stage, and about 15 permanent site staff post construction, the project provides significant regional employment. It also keeps South Australia at the forefront of global renewable energy generation and reinforces the government's assertion that investment in renewable energy makes good business sense.

The 90 turbine, 270 megawatt facility will generate enough electricity to power about 170,000 homes. This type of investment will also put long-term downward pressure on electricity prices while ensuring South Australia is playing its part in tackling global climate change. Once complete, Snowtown wind farm will be the largest operating wind farm in South Australia and the second largest in Australia.

I take this opportunity to commend TrustPower and Wind Prospect for their commitment to renewable energy in this state. I particularly commend the way they have worked with the community to ensure everyone in the region benefits from the project. The government is extremely pleased that TrustPower is also examining other potential locations for wind farm investment. I acknowledge too the input of Siemens Energy, which will provide the gearless turbine technology to generate power at this site. I understand that this will be the first wind farm development in South Australia to use technology of this nature.

I note that Siemens Energy is also a very important partner in our redevelopment of Tonsley Park as a hub of sustainable industry and manufacturing. Such collaboration between the manufacturing industry and the renewable energy sector will open up new opportunities for both city and regional jobs and business growth in South Australia.

Wind power has a huge role in providing South Australia's future power needs. We are already the leading state for wind energy investment with 1,203 megawatts, or 48 per cent of Australia's installed capacity, provided by 15 operational wind farms and underpinned by $3 billion in capital investment. The sector is supporting our clean, green economy with this project alone forecast to offset 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Wind power was the main contributor to South Australia meeting its 20 per cent renewable energy generation target three years early. As a result, the government has set a new target of 33 per cent of the state's electricity generation to come from renewable energy sources by 2020.

May I say how disappointing it is that the state and federal Liberal oppositions do not share this government's and the community's appetite and vision for renewable energy. In fact, in a newspaper article in January this year, the Leader of the Opposition, Isobel Redmond, said, 'Wind is probably the least efficient and most unreliable of all the green energy sources.' She then went on to say that she would not be fazed if the Liberal Party policy on wind farms caused a drop in turbine investment.

The mind boggles that the opposition leader can blatantly and recklessly talk down and threaten this key sector particularly, as I have just explained, that one project alone is investing $700 million into the state. In closing, I would like to take the opportunity to thank TrustPower, Wind Prospect, Siemens Australia, the Wakefield Regional Council, and the Snowtown community and associated contractors for their combined contribution to this important project.