Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1) expresses:

(a) its greatest concern at the SA Government's decision to slash support for its Remote Areas Energy Scheme which subsidises off-grid generation for isolated communities; and

(b) great concern that the reduction in subsidy will lead to escalating power prices for businesses of up to 100 per cent, recognising users will pay as much as $0.60 per kilowatt hour; and

(2) names the affected communities as Coober Pedy, Andamooka, Yunta, Nundroo, Maria, Oodnadatta, Marree, Kingoonya, Glendambo, Parachilna, Blinman, Manna Hill and Cockburn;

(3) recognises that as Coober Pedy relies on a desalinated water supply and that the reduction in subsidy will lead to the price of water rising to $5.70 a kilolitre;

(4) brings to the SA Government's notice that every other State and Territory in Australia which has off-grid generation systems for isolated communities supports a state-wide pricing policy;

(5) expresses support for the affected communities and recognises the public outrage expressed at a public meeting in Coober Pedy on Sunday 15 May 2011 attended by Senator Nick Xenophon, SA Legislative Council Member the Hon. John Darley and Rowan Ramsey MP; and

(6) condemns the SA Government for its actions and calls on it to immediately re-instate the subsidies and consider bringing SA into line with the rest of Australia in supporting state-wide pricing.

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