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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-29 Daily Xml
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MINI WIND TURBINES

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:25): I start with a reading from a press release, which is something the education minister tends to do quite a bit in answer to Dorothy Dixers. It states:

Major school works to go green.

Wind turbines and solar panels will be fitted to South Australia's schools when they undergo a major upgrade, as part of the new Rann government initiative to help 'green' state schools and preschools.

Then it goes on to say:

Education minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the move is part of the Rann government's focus to help schools improve their energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

But there is a story behind this, and I would like to run through a chronology to show where we are at with wind turbines in our schools.

On 19 September 2006, Rann announces mini turbines will be installed on prominent buildings in the Adelaide CBD. The first of five Swift 1.5 kilowatt wind turbines will be installed on the State Administration Centre. Then in November that same year, Swift 1.5 kilowatt wind turbines were installed on the roof of the London Climate Change Centre and six weeks later were recalled because of faulty components. Replacements were promised within weeks but new turbines did not arrive until early 2008.

Then in June 2007, the Premier extends the mini turbine program and announces funding of $330,000 for 20 turbines. He claims the investment will cut 28 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, or 1.4 tonnes per turbine. Then in November 2007 a report in The Guardian newspaper states that the mini turbines in urban areas produce only a tenth of the power predicted and the manufacture and maintenance is likely to add to the owner's carbon footprint. So, we buy these wind turbines and they will add to the carbon footprint of the owner, so perhaps Mr Rann needs to go out and buy some carbon credits for these wind turbines that he has purchased.

In January this year Autodom Ltd, a subsidiary of AI Automotive, an automotive components company, becomes a joint venture partner with Insurance Australia Group to distribute the Swift micro wind turbine. Their new venture, Micro Wind Turbines Australia, is capitalised at half a million dollars. A company announcement on 13 January says the venture is 'driven off the back of the SA government's leadership in developing business opportunities for companies that want to get on board its climate change initiatives'. Then the announcement also claims, 'The SA government has provided an order for 40 Swift turbines for its buildings.' Swift owners, Renewable Devices Pty Ltd, a firm started by two young Edinburgh engineers, now claims that the business is valued at £30 million because it sold a 2 per cent stake in the company to an Australian company. On 16 April 2008, education minister Jane Lomax-Smith announced:

Wind turbines and solar panels will be fitted to [SA's] schools when they undergo a major upgrade, as part of the Rann government's initiative to help 'green' state schools and preschools.

She claims the move will help schools improve their energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Thirteen schools are named to get wind turbines.

In July this year AI Automotive's CEO resigns. On 31 August, in an announcement to the stock exchange, Autodom states that it will 'write off all the carrying value of investments made in Micro Wind Turbines Australia Pty Ltd.' Its 50 per cent investment was listed at $300,000.

On 16 September 2008, Zelco Lendich resigns from the board of Autodom, the parent company of MWTA Pty Ltd, and is replaced by Scott Mutton, a South Australian and former owner of Henderson Components, now acquired by Autodom. Mutton's job is to run Project Refocus, aimed at turning around the company in what it describes as a 'dreadful financial performance'.

On 22 October the Public Works Committee examines plans for the Victor Harbor High School development. Graphics and drawings clearly show planned installation of mini turbines. When asked what the cost will be, the department officials admit there is no cost benefit. So, when asked what the cost benefits would be, they said there was no cost benefit, just an educational benefit and, by the way, the contract for supply has collapsed. That was cleared up precisely by Mr John Chadwick in his capacity in managing such projects. The member for Norwood asked the question:

That is not to say they won't be available for other projects, but for this particular one, given the circumstances, it won't happen.

Mr Chadwick said:

[No] they are not available at all. So, the projects that we had planned for them to go into will now not have wind turbines. At some other point in time they may become available, which we would then be very interested in reintroducing them [into the DECS capital works program].

The bottom line there, of course, is that we saw all this spin by the Rann government about its wind turbines and they do not work.

Time expired.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Torrens.

Ms Breuer: Good member!

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