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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-26 Daily Xml
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Energy and Emissions Reduction Agreement

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): My question is to the Premier. Within the terms of the memorandum of understanding that is not publicly available, how much hydrogen must be exported under the terms of that MOU or green hydrogen produced in the first instance?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:45): This memorandum of understanding is fundamental to bringing together our state's energy policy and our commonwealth government's energy policy. One of the key components of our understanding together is that the things that we work on will evolve. The things that we work on will evolve.

Mr Malinauskas: What? The things we will work on will evolve?

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. The leader will cease interjecting. It's a matter that I have addressed a number of times, that the particular form of interjection which is by way of an endeavour to converse one member to another across the chamber is particularly objectionable. The minister is entitled to be heard in silence. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Anybody who has focused on energy policy in any way whatsoever knows that is a very fast-moving, fast-paced area of work. To just think that you can set and forget in energy is a massive, massive mistake. We've got some very clear things that we have agreed, but let me also say that the work that we do together will evolve. That is entirely as it should be. With regard to hydrogen, we are very focused in South Australia on hydrogen, but other states are also. This is a competitive world.

We know every territory and state government in Australia knows that there is a massive prize to achieve with regard to hydrogen exports. We are not only focused on hydrogen exports. We are focused very much on using the production of hydrogen as a vitally important tool to support our clean energy transition. The production of hydrogen offers an opportunity to use variable load. One of the best things that we can do to get the cost of electricity down across the state is to actually use more electricity when demand is low and use less electricity when demand is high, so electrolysis and production of hydrogen offers a fantastic opportunity in that regard.

From a federal government perspective, quite understandably they are focused on the export opportunity, a multibillion-dollar export opportunity. The federal government is engaging with several states on this work, and it's one of the reasons that achieving that MOU with the federal government has been so important, so that we can essentially be one of the states at the top of the list. Our expectation in South Australia is to be Australia's leader with regard to production, the consumption and the export of clean hydrogen. We are doing many things in that regard, including investing $37 million to upgrade—

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the Premier!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat for a moment. The Premier will not engage in interjection. The matter I have addressed to both the leader and the Premier in the course of this question time, those interjections in particular will cease. The minister has the call and is entitled to be heard in silence. Members on my right will maintain order. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. While those opposite think that $37 million to upgrade the Port Bonython facility is laughable, for whatever reason they think that is—and I hope not every single one of them was laughing at that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —piece of information.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Giles!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: We see, and the federal government sees, Port Bonython as a tremendous opportunity to develop a hydrogen export industry. So while we are focused on exports and domestic consumption, we are in partnership—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —with the federal government in that regard as well. I hope those opposite are not suggesting that the federal government is not focused on hydrogen production, as we are.

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