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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-07-10 Daily Xml
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NYRSTAR

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade. Will the minister confirm whether the government has received any request from Nyrstar for financial assistance for the upgrade of their Port Pirie smelter and, if so, how much is the company seeking and when will the government be making a decision?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:49): I think it is important to note that when the member for Norwood, or the Liberal candidate for Dunstan, asks a question about Nyrstar, he is really trying to inflate the fears and anxieties of the people of Port Pirie.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PISONI: Point of order: the minister is clearly debating—

The SPEAKER: Thank you, sit down.

Mr PISONI: —clearly debating the answer.

The SPEAKER: The minister has only just started his answer, but I would ask him to stick to the substance of the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I know there is one set of rules for the member for Norwood and one set of rules for the rest of us, but perhaps I will try and walk that line.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Sit down, member for Norwood. Minister, you will get back to the question and stop antagonising.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, ma'am. They are very precious. The member for Norwood was on radio today saying that the carbon tax would kill Nyrstar. He said that the costs of $6 million to $10 million per year—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —and I am paraphrasing now—could be used to reinvest into Nyrstar because of the cost. Now, Nyrstar have said themselves that the introduction of the carbon tax is not a factor.

Mrs Redmond: That's got nothing to do with the question asked.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I am answering the question the way I want to answer it.

Ms Chapman: How much have they asked?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The introduction of the carbon tax is not a factor in the decision-making process related to any potential redevelopment of the Port Pirie facility.

Ms Chapman: How much have they asked for?

The SPEAKER: Order, Member for Bragg!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The most important thing to realise about the redevelopment of the Port Pirie smelter is that it is not the carbon tax or the policies of this government that is in any way inhibiting the redevelopment of that smelter.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood.

Mr MARSHALL: I do not know whether you would like me to repeat the question, but the point of order I raise is relevance.

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mr MARSHALL: The question was about whether the government has received any request from Nyrstar for financial assistance—

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mr MARSHALL: —for the upgrade of their Port Pirie smelter.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. The minister is very aware of your question. He has only just started to answer it.

Mrs Redmond: He doesn't want to answer it.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I do want to answer it, but the unfortunate thing is that, like I said, there is one set of rules for the golden boy and one set of rules for the rest of us.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr PISONI: As far as I understand, members are to be addressed by their electorate.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Minister, I refer you back to the substance of the question. Please do not refer to members as 'golden boys'.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sorry, I know he's sensitive.

The SPEAKER: They are men.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: How is David Ridgway? Speaking to you yet?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I want to make very clear—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I wouldn't take David Ridgway on either. The government has no policies that are in place that is doing anything to inhibit—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —the redevelopment of the Port Pirie smelter. To the contrary, Nyrstar and the government are working together—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —to make sure we have a solution for the people of Port Pirie. This is not a debating point: this is about the future of Port Pirie, and this government is committed. I am not going to get up in the house and detail for the pleasure of the member for Norwood or the Liberal candidate for Dunstan—whatever you prefer—just for his own personal pleasure. We are going to go ahead and deal with this company and we are going to do it in confidence. If we detailed in advance—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If we detailed in advance every single negotiation we have with every company on the floor of the parliament, no company would come to us for assistance. The only way you can deal with companies—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The only way you can deal with these companies to get an outcome for the people of Port Pirie is to do it in confidence. Do we really believe that it would benefit the community of South Australia if the government and Nyrstar were negotiating about any form of redevelopment—not that it requires necessarily a bailout, but in terms of what policy settings, how we can help facilitate Nyrstar to reinvest into a new model that does not have emissions? I think it really is low form for the opposition to be blaming the carbon tax. Nyrstar has been denying it is the carbon tax. When the government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: When the government then works with Nyrstar management to try and get a solution, they complain.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Have you finished interjecting, member for Norwood? If you have, you can ask your next question.

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