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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-17 Daily Xml
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NATIONAL GAS (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) (GAS TRADING EXCHANGES) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 24 September 2013.)

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (12:51): I rise on behalf of the Liberal Party to support the second reading of the bill, which seeks to amend the national gas law to facilitate the establishment of gas trading exchanges and create the rules and regulations by which they will be governed. The bill provides for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) statutory functions to facilitate the gas trading exchanges operations and to set fees. It also outlines minimum standards by which exchanges must be made and, while the first exchanges will be established in Queensland, the bill provides the regulatory framework for future gas trading exchanges. After the initial implementation of the bill, Australian Energy Market Commission will assume the regulatory role over the gas trading exchanges.

We are advised that this issue has been debated for some time through the Standing Council on Energy and Resources. It established a consultation process, including the establishment of a gas supply hub reference group. That has been going on for quite some time. The Liberal Party in South Australia, when it received the bill, because we in South Australia are the lead legislator on gas and electricity law, sought comment and follow up with the Energy Supply Association, Energy Retailers Association, Alinta Energy, Energy Australia and Envestra. None of those bodies, which had been involved in the earlier debates and discussions at the national level, had anything further to add to the draft bill before the parliament.

AGL actually indicated that it supported the bill, even though it initially had some concerns about gas trading exchanges potentially being compulsory. Origin Energy had also sought clarification at the draft legislation stage, but has indicated to the Liberal Party that it is now comfortable with the bill. The Liberal Party's consultation with stakeholders indicates that there is no body that has indicated to us any opposition to either the overall intent of the legislation or, at this stage, to any parts of it. For those reasons the Liberal Party supports the second reading.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (12:54): I understand that there are no further contributions to the second reading. I thank the Liberal opposition for its support of this bill and the indicated support of others. It is a fairly straightforward piece of legislation, providing a technical framework, and I look forward to its being dealt with expeditiously through committee.

Bill read a second time.

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