Energy Concessions

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding energy concessions.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: The Marshall Liberal government recently allocated over $135,000 to start the privatisation process of energy concession payments—a process that is currently undertaken by the Department of Human Services through ConcessionsSA. My question to the minister is: why is the Liberal Party pursuing a policy of privatising essential services that everyday South Australians rely upon to make ends meet?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:54): If I could borrow the words of one of my esteemed colleagues, who borrowed words from the former premier the Hon. Jay Weatherill, I reject the premise of that question. Energy concessions are administered through the Department of Human Services, along with a range of other concessions that we provide to South Australians, which are a very important suite of measures that we assist people with their cost of living. For instance, we provide the Cost of Living Concession; the emergency services levy concession; an energy concession, which is the subject of the question; medical heating and cooling; water and sewerage.

The matter of the energy concession was one which was raised, I think, with all political parties prior to the election. It was actually the South Australian Council of Social Service that suggested that it would be more efficient for the retailers to manage the energy concession, because under the existing arrangements it can be a bit clunky, it can be a bit cumbersome. We undertook, as part of our election commitments, that we would look at those arrangements. The honourable member may want to check her own election platform. I am not sure whether the Labor Party committed to do the same.

SACOSS put to us a case that it would be in the best interests of consumers that, as is the case interstate, a number of energy retailers actually administer those concessions, and so that is a process that we are looking at. It is very much, as SACOSS put to us, a matter of consumer choice and making sure that we are providing the best consumer experience that is efficient. If that turns out to be the case then that is something that we will do, but we haven't made any decision at this stage. I think, Mr President, I did hear—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Allow the minister to answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Mr President, I am slightly mystified. I think these matters are on the public record, that it is something that we would look at. It was part of what we published to SACOSS, which I think is a matter of the public record. So perhaps the Labor Party might want to look at documents that were published 12 months ago in the election campaign. I am not quite sure who has been writing their questions and what sort of research skills they have, and whether they are in fact talking to the South Australian Council of Social Service, who are very, very keen on these arrangements being changed.