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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-02-06 Daily Xml
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Hydrogen Project

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Regional Development on the topic of the Whyalla Steelworks.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: This morning, it has been reported that the government's proposed $600 million hydrogen project is in doubt due to the ongoing issues with GFG Alliance and the Whyalla Steelworks. Yesterday, the Premier revealed that GFG Alliance owes the state tens of millions of dollars. The hydrogen project was to be one of the key energy suppliers for the production of green steel at the steelworks and the cornerstone of the Labor government's jobs plan for the Whyalla region. Now, thousands of regional jobs hang in the balance.

In 2023, when this place was considering the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Bill, the Greens pushed for the bill to be referred to a select committee so that the parliament could examine the risks associated with the hydrogen project, including the economic benefits. At that time, Labor did not support any scrutiny of the bill.

My question to the Minister for Regional Development is: given the thousands of jobs that now hang in the balance, does the minister concede it was a mistake to block the Greens' proposal to refer the bill to a select committee so that the risk could have been properly scrutinised; why didn't Labor allow appropriate scrutiny of their hydrogen plan; and what does this mean for the regions?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:13): I thank the honourable member for his question. I think this chamber has a good track record in scrutinising legislation and this one was no exception.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I will listen to your supplementary, the Hon. Mr Simms.

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