Nuclear Energy

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions to the Attorney-General regarding nuclear energy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: A poll conducted by JWS and commissioned by the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy revealed that 63 per cent of South Australians agree that nuclear-power should be considered due to cost and reliability concerns in the National Electricity Market. The survey also found that 58 per cent of South Australians supported the amendment of federal environment and radiation protection laws in order to remove nuclear industry prohibitions. My questions to the Attorney-General are:

1. Given it is clear that the majority of South Australians support the serious consideration of nuclear power as an energy option, will the Attorney-General lobby the federal government to amend legislation to rescind nuclear industry prohibitions?

2. Has the state government consulted with interest groups regarding the merits of nuclear energy?

3. What is the state government's position on nuclear energy?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:23): I thank the honourable member for her question. I suspect I know what is going on here. My strong suspicion is that the Leader of the Opposition wasn't aware that the Minister for Primary Industries was paired today. Consequently, my guess is that the Leader of the Opposition has looked through other questions, probably lower house questions, to try to cover the absence, knowing full well that the questions are the responsibility of other ministers in the lower house.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I can't remember, sir—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I can't remember a single time in this chamber—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Point of order, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: I will listen to your point of order.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Relevance.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, continue.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: In relation to the question that was directed clearly at the Minister for Energy, I can't remember a single time in this chamber when the opposition's first three questions have been asked of ministers who aren't even in this chamber.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: This speaks of an opposition not organised, that has run out of puff. I will be happy, as the member has requested, to refer those questions to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a reply and look forward to further questions that maybe have been taken from datasets elsewhere. It's either they have run out or they were that disorganised they don't have questions for ministers in this chamber.