The Liberal Opposition is calling for the Office of Hydrogen Power to be scrapped, after it was revealed that Labor's failed hydrogen experiment had been shelved, with no clear funding or timeline for completion.
With taxpayers already having paid a staggering $80 million over the past two financial years, and an additional $23 million budgeted for this financial year, the Opposition is urging the Malinauskas Labor Government to dismantle the costly office.
“A Tarzia Liberal Government, if elected in 2026, will scrap the Office of Hydrogen Power,” Leader of the Opposition, Vincent Tarzia said.
“South Australians have every right to expect results when the Government spends $80 million of their hard-earned money. Yet, instead of delivering, Labor has opted to part ways with their flagship energy policy.
“Labor promised to deliver one of the world’s largest hydrogen power stations, claiming it would reduce electricity costs by eight per cent. Instead, power prices have soared under their watch, with no relief in sight for South Australian families and businesses.
“How can Labor now say that this hydrogen hoax will be realised at some unknown future date, while offering no cost or timeline for delivery and selling off key components of the plant?”
The Opposition is also calling on the Government to scrap the Office of Hydrogen Power’s Chief Executive who is paid $599,741 per year to work on a project that has now been shelved.
“If a Chief Executive in the private sector were hired to deliver a major project of this scale, only for it to be abruptly sidelined, they wouldn’t be kept around - they’d be moved on, it’s that simple,” Mr Hood said.
“If the Government continues to employ a Chief Executive and fund an office for a failed project, it’s clear they’re putting their Labor mates ahead of the interests of hard-working South Australians.”
Shadow Minister for Energy and Mining, Stephen Patterson added, "Labor's failed hydrogen hoax has left South Australians paying the price – abandoning the only energy-related policy they took to the last election and leaving families and businesses to shoulder record-high power bills."
“South Australians can see through Peter Malinauskas’ ruse of keeping the Office of Hydrogen Power in a desperate attempt to save face and justify wasting $80 million of taxpayer money on his hydrogen fantasy with nothing to show for it.
“Global energy companies are walking away from green hydrogen projects because they are too expensive and energy intensive, yet the Premier arrogantly wants to continue throwing taxpayer’s money at his failed vanity project.”
