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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-28 Daily Xml
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Renewable Energy

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:38): My question is for the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister update the house on the opportunity for renewables to underpin industrial development in the Upper Spencer Gulf, and are there any alternate views?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:38): Yes, I can. I appreciate this question from the member for Flinders. While not exactly in the Upper Spencer Gulf, he has a very keen interest in the Upper Spencer Gulf, and I appreciate the question, including about other views.

The Marshall Liberal government is focused on making renewables work for consumers and creating new jobs, particularly in our regions. We are moving faster towards renewables than under Labor to net 100 per cent renewables by 2030 while simultaneously reducing electricity bills and the number of blackouts. A big focus is the Upper Spencer Gulf. This region is front and centre of our Hydrogen Action Plan, our export modelling tool and our prospectus.

We want South Australia to become a world-class exporter of renewable energy through the SA-New South Wales interconnector and through hydrogen exports. We also want our industry to be able to purchase competitive, clean energy within the state. That is why we leased the temporary generators to Infigen and Nexif, so they could pair them with their renewable assets to sell firm contracts. It was great to see BHP recently sign an offtake agreement with Iberdrola. It is a fantastic outcome that will significantly reduce BHP's emissions. As the member for Giles highlighted yesterday in this place:

It was good to see BHP just the other day sign up to take an offtake arrangement with the wind and solar farm that is close to being completed at the Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park.

I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Iberdrola bought the project under our government. Iberdrola said the SA-New South Wales interconnector helped them invest in South Australia, which those opposite thought was a terrible idea, yet the Premier and I have turned the first sod with that view of it being a terrible idea.

Because Iberdrola bought Infigen they can offer contracts to BHP by firming up their renewables with the temporary diesel generators. The member for Giles is supportive of this arrangement. I just wonder whether he talked this through with the member for West Torrens, his colleague and shadow energy minister, who predicted doom and gloom, as he regularly does.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Another key measure to support industry is the Port Bonython expression of interest to help develop a hydrogen—

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, rules applying to answers. In answering a question, a minister replies to the substance of the question and may not debate the answer. The minister is not responsible for any of my views, real or imagined by the minister, nor may he debate them.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The question asked about other views.

The SPEAKER: The question was reasonably broad. It's also a question put by a member of the government to the government. I am going to allow the minister to continue. I will be listening carefully.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. If the member for West Torrens would like to recant any of the views he has expressed, he is welcome to do so.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: Taxing electric vehicles, you're really good on the renewables, aren't you?

The SPEAKER: Member for Mawson, please don't bait the government.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Again, the member for Giles is very supportive of what we are doing. I quote:

The comparative advantages in Whyalla and near Whyalla, when it comes to hydrogen production, green hydrogen production and green ammonia production, stand right out.

Quote again, 'Let's concentrate. Let's get the critical mass. Let's get the resource sharing happening.' Well, the member for Giles won't find any argument with me: he is again correct. That's why we launched an EOI for the land at Port Bonython to develop a hydrogen hub, but there is again another alternative view, one lonely alternative view. It's not the member for Giles but it is again the member for West Torrens, who said, 'Privatising Port Bonython won't create a hydrogen hub.' Well, time will tell.

The government is unashamedly seeking private sector investment to create a hydrogen hub. Our hydrogen plans are not like Labor's, which has a $500 million black hole in it, and we will work with the private sector to make real projects happen. The projects are developed by capable people, not the former minister and now the shadow minister for energy, and I look forward to updating the house on the EOI as it progresses, and I look forward to the member for Giles sharing with his electorate his difference of opinion with his shadow minister.

The SPEAKER: There have been quiet representations continuing to be made to me about whether that contribution strayed close to argument. It did stray very close to argument. Member for West Torrens.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I have only just survived, sir.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: A point of clarification: is there anything wrong with putting argument in the answer to your question—in the answer arguing your point.

The SPEAKER: Yes.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: You are not allowed to put it in the question; you are allowed to put it in the answer.

The SPEAKER: Yes, the Leader of Government Business is quite right. The point instead was that it might stray close to debate.

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