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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-15 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Hydrogen Power Infrastructure

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): My question is to the Premier. Why has the government spent more on its failed hydrogen experiment than the algal bloom crisis and drought response combined? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The Auditor-General's Report reveals that $285.2 million has been spent so far on the Premier's failed vanity hydrogen project.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:07): It's interesting that the Leader of the Opposition is characterising the purchase of generators as a waste of money when he just announced he is going to purchase generators. There really is this issue, this sort of foot-in-mouth issue that he has, where he asks a question criticising as a waste of money the purchase of generators only weeks after he himself announced that, if they are elected in March of next year, they will purchase 200 megawatts of generation. So I don't know how you can—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett and the member for Flinders, I can't hear the minister, so if you can keep your interjections to yourself, that would be great.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I don't know how with a straight face you can get up in the House of Assembly and say the purchase of these generators is a waste if you have just announced the very same policy yourself.

The interesting part about what members opposite are refusing to accept is that an audit does not include any potential proceeds from the disposal of the generators. Members opposite, who announce policies and then criticise a policy that is identical to their own, now realise why they have no credibility. You can't have credibility on energy policy if you are criticising the purchase of generators.

Of course, like any project, what has occurred here is that we have invested in infrastructure that is alongside and opposite the steelworks, which will not be lost or redundant and would actually be used for the upgrade.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Indeed. There is $1.9 billion of money on the table for an electric arc furnace, direct iron reduction, which requires greater access to power. Upgrade to transmission lines and substations are not a maybe, they are a win, and either way that would have to be done. What we have done is invested government money in public infrastructure for the public good.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You can yell out 'hydrogen' as much as you like. The one part they aren't criticising about some of the costs revealed in the Auditor's report is the Bonython Hydrogen Hub. Remember that? Oh, it's quiet. It's just like after the grand final, it's gone very quiet. The hydrogen hub, which was something that was championed by the previous government, is now something that they have forgotten. I have to say that the investments we made are value for money. We will have a generator, an additional 200 megawatts of generation here in South Australia, providing power and competition in the South Australian market, which is something members opposite have called on us to do. The idea that somehow this is a loss is ridiculous. It is—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: And fake laughter won't change any of that. I've got to say, the desperation in the fake laughter makes it sound worse for the Leader of the Opposition.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader, the member for Morphett and the member for Flinders, you are on your final warnings. I did ask you to keep your interjections to yourself, and all I heard were your voices above the Treasurer's. The Leader of the Opposition.

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