Port Bonython Hydrogen Precinct

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:35): My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer update the council on the status of the proposed hydrogen precinct at Port Bonython?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:35): I acknowledge the honourable member's interest in issues in and around all of South Australia but, in particular, around Whyalla.

The government has actively engaged in working with a number of state, national and international companies that have come together, either in consortia or as individual entities, to respond to the expression of interest process in relation to the proposed hydrogen hub at Port Bonython. I think all members in this chamber would acknowledge the lead that the Premier, the Minister for Environment and Water and the Minister for Energy and Mining have adopted regarding matters relating to zero emissions by 2050.

South Australia is acknowledged as a national and international leader in relation to reduction of emissions, and is a strong supporter of many leading environmental policies across the spectrum. Part of this is the active work that is being done with the hydrogen hub. My understanding is that next week the government and the consortia have to make submissions to the federal government for funding under the hydrogen hub grant programs that the federal government has announced over the last 12 months.

There are significant sums of money that the commonwealth government has made available, and it would appear that the commonwealth government is interested in supporting a potential hydrogen hub in most, if not all, the jurisdictions that make application for it. Obviously they will have to meet threshold criteria to justify federal grant funding.

The state government has indicated its willingness to commit state government funds, together with significant private sector investment from state, national and international companies who have expressed interest, in the hydrogen hub. The process the government is going through involves the Treasury department, Energy and Mining and Infrastructure and Transport, as well as the planning department.

There is a working party, led by Treasury, which is seeking to assist private sector operators; the state government is working with private sector operators to make funding submissions for this hydrogen hub funding from the federal government. I'm not sure that the time frame for decisions from the federal government is explicit, but our understanding is that it may well be early next year that the federal government will make decisions about the success or otherwise of the funding submissions from state jurisdictions.

Our officers are extraordinarily confident that there is a very viable proposal being developed that will be submitted by South Australia, with strong support from the private sector. We believe we are well placed, we hope, for favourable consideration by the federal government under their funding proposal.