House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-29 Daily Xml

Contents

SOLAR FEED-IN SCHEME

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:14): My question is again to the Minister for Energy. Given that electricity prices have already gone up by 75 per cent under this government, how much extra does the government's modelling show the average household will pay because of the solar feed-in scheme and the carbon tax?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Northern Suburbs) (14:14): I had a quick look at the ESCOSA modelling that was done for the deputy leader and I think that issue was covered in the deputy leader's briefing, but I will confirm that and, if it wasn't, I will return with an answer. What you lose sight of when you say 'under this government' is that it is actually a privatised market run by the national energy regulator. Those price determinations are made by and large at a national level. Hence, we have ESCOSA in place to do the standing contract to make sure that South Australian consumers are not harshly done by in the national market outcomes.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Bright.