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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-28 Daily Xml
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Net Zero

Mr BROWN (Florey) (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister update the house on the government's policy on net zero, along with any alternative views?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:56): Thank you very much—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right will come to order. The Treasurer is seeking my protection from you, Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come to order! The Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I thank the member for his question—a strong supporter of our net zero policies. Let's be clear: there is no change in our policy. We remain committed to net zero targets, namely an emissions reduction target of at least 60 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030. We continue to support the Albanese government's vision of being net zero by 2050 and staying on track to achieve 100 per cent net renewables electricity generation by 2027.

But I note that my friend the shadow minister for energy has come under attack today, and I want to defend him. He is the shadow minister for net zero—you might not know this—and there has been a scathing attack on him today. So you imagine, the Liberal Party State Council, you're there, you have the chambray pants on and your shirt and your RM Williams, you are ready to go, and you walk in and your colleagues are saying things like this to the shadow minister for net zero:

…net zero is a costly illusion—a political slogan masquerading as science, imposed without honesty and absent realism.

Mate, you let me know when you need me in a scrap, I'm there with you, right next to you, right? And I'll say this: this Liberal colleague, about my friend the shadow minister for net zero, says, and I quote:

Net zero has become a moral vanity project for those who can afford it and an economic catastrophe for those who cannot.

Why would they say that about my friend the member for Morphett, the shadow minister for net zero? Why would you say something like that about this poor fellow? He is out there trying to achieve net zero targets; meanwhile, he has his boss, the member for Barker, running around saying:

The government speaks of transitioning—but transitioning to what?

Well, I'll tell you, Mr Speaker, the shadow minister for net zero will not take this sort of rubbish. He will stand up to people in his own party who attack things like net zero. We have got the Hon. Michelle Lensink in another place who has said that she has seen these people, she has seen these people attack the shadow minister for energy. She says and I quote:

The policy motions went ahead regardless and sadly my predictions have come to pass, in that a press conference today (focused) on state council's decision to include on its agenda a bunch of virtue-signalling motions.

Like that speech by the member for Barker. She goes on to say:

Let's break this down. Some people—

not the member for Morphett—

within the Liberal Party decided that it would be a good idea to pass policy motions, amongst other things, opposing net zero...

Does every time this happens a little part of you break? Does a little part of you break? It's in your title, I have got it here. It says, 'shadow minister net zero'. You have worked so hard to get there. It says, 'shadow energy and net zero', and they continually attack you. I have to say that even though the Leader of the Opposition won't defend you—because he can't, he's afraid to speak out against his bosses, Alex Antic and Tony Pasin—I will. I will, Mr Speaker.

An honourable member: We're with you Patto!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We're with you Patto!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We're with you. Every one of us is right behind you. Don't let them bully you, we're right behind you.

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