Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Birmingham, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy. I congratulate him on his promotion. It's good to finally see a South Australian in a leadership position in the Senate Liberals.

On 16 March last year, Minister Frydenberg announced: 'Australia's first virtual power plant goes live in South Australia.' The minister said that the $20 million project, combining solar panels and batteries in 1,000 residential and business premises to build a five-megawatt power station, would 'lower power bills, reduce emissions and provide stability'. How many megawatts of electricity has the project delivered?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Farrell for his question and his kind words, although Senator Farrell seems to have forgotten that it's not that long since Senator Nick Minchin sat in the chair that Senator Cormann occupies, and that before him Senator Robert Hill sat in the chair that Senator Cormann now occupies. So there is a long history, indeed, of South Australians occupying leadership positions in the Senate Liberals.

Senator Wong interjecting—

However, I'm very happy in the seat where I now am, Senator Wong, to ensure that you don't start any conspiracy theories. In relation to the precise detail that Senator Farrell has asked for, I'll have to take that on notice and seek some information for Senator Farrell to get that precise detail. As Senator Farrell is well aware, the Turnbull government continues to work across a range of levels to make sure that energy is more reliable and more affordable, and, indeed, that we meet our international obligations in relation to energy generation. That's evident through our work in relation to the development of the National Energy Guarantee. We are pleased to see progress and support from a number of state governments, including Labor state governments, but, unfortunately, not from the South Australian Labor state government, who choose to continue to play politics with energy rather than actually getting on with working towards a national solution.

Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting—

Senator Collins, who is from the Labor state of Victoria, interjects. Well, the Labor state government of Victoria is willing to work cooperatively in relation to development of the National Energy Guarantee, even though Senator Farrell's mates in the state government of SA—

Senator Wong interjecting—

Sorry, you are right, Senator Wong—I shouldn't describe Mr Weatherill as Senator Farrell's mate. That's far from the truth; we know that. You were right to interject. However, we will make sure we will continue to deliver—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is about a government announcement—Mr Frydenberg's announcement: 'First virtual power plant goes live in SA.' Surely the minister could at least get close to that.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are seven seconds left for the answer to the question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was a very precise question from Senator Farrell, and, to treat it with respect, I had already taken that precise question on notice.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question. On Sunday, the South Australian government announced support for a 250 megawatt virtual power plant involving 50,000 households. Given the project is 50 times the size of that supported by the minister, does he agree the project will 'lower power bills, reduce emissions and provide stability'?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all look forward to seeing details of Mr Weatherill's announcement and to see what it may or may not do. But I do have some doubts about whether or not Mr Weatherill will be able to achieve all of the things that Senator Farrell has asked about. It was only four years ago, in the last South Australian election, that Mr Weatherill was making a promise suggesting that they would provide solar panels for some 5,000 low-income families. Four years later, do you know what's happened in relation to Mr Weatherill's last promise on this matter? Only 400 of the 5,000 have been delivered.

What we saw yesterday was Mr Weatherill engage in another stunt with Elon Musk to try to get a bit of extra attention and media publicity. But we know that when it comes to these promises they don't deliver at the state level. They didn't deliver on their promises at the last election, they no doubt won't deliver this time, and it is a case of playing catch-up—catch-up with Mr Marshall, who had already announced support for battery— (Time expired)

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a final supplementary question. Is the Turnbull government's commitment to the $110 million for the Port Augusta solar thermal plant just as hollow as the commitment to a virtual power plant in South Australia?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Turnbull government's commitment to support investment in solar thermal energy at Port Augusta is a real commitment. It was a commitment made before the last election thanks to the strong and powerful advocacy of the member for Grey, Mr Ramsey. It is a commitment that we have been working to see implemented ever since, and we are determined not only to see that project go ahead but to see an overall fix across the board in terms of the failings in the energy market, which have been contributed to by the poor policy positions of the South Australian Labor government. We want to see, through the National Energy Guarantee, something that provides stability and reliability and the certainty that when you turn the lights on, the lights go on. We want to make sure that we don't have states running away with their own different renewable targets but instead we have a mechanism in place that puts reliability on the same platform as reducing emissions, and does so at the lowest cost to consumers. Because keeping electricity prices down is the most important thing to ensure, alongside reliability.