Offshore Renewable Energy

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (15:08): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Industrial Relations regarding union support for an offshore renewable energy zone in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.R. HOOD: As reported by the Australian Associated Press, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia, the Maritime Union of Australia, the CFMEU, and the AMWU have all condemned the state government's recommendation that an offshore wind farm zone should not extend into coastal waters off Port MacDonnell.

These units have variously described your government's recommendations as 'uninformed', 'kneejerk', and that it 'risks denying us the opportunity to develop good, sustainable jobs', as well as risking 'the state's broader economy and environment'. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has the minister or his government met with these unions to discuss the offshore wind farm zone proposal off South Australia's southern coast?

2. Should South Australians be concerned by the fact that these Victorian-centric unions are increasingly gaining a foothold in this state, given their support for this proposal that his government recognises will bring no benefit to South Australia?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his question. None of the unions that the honourable member has mentioned has personally made representations to me about the matters the honourable member referred to and I think the honourable member has probably answered his own question: the fact that the government made a decision that was against the views of those unions means they don't carry the influence which the honourable member is so worried about.