The State Opposition will move to establish a Select Committee on Hydrogen this week, to thwart the Government’s attempts to cover up its hydrogen hoax.
It has been almost six months of silence with 45 questions unanswered from a September 2024 Budget and Finance Committee Hearing.
Leader of the Opposition, Vincent Tarzia said it’s clear that the only way South Australians will hear the truth about Peter Malinauskas’ hydrogen vanity project is by using the powers of parliament to compel witnesses.
“This is the Government’s only energy policy, which has already cost the taxpayers millions of dollars in bureaucrats salaries and overseas trips. We deserve to know what we’ve got for our money,” Mr Tarzia said.
“The Select Committee into hydrogen will be introduced at the first opportunity in Parliament this week, ensuring we don’t waste anymore taxpayer money or time.
“Critically, the Government promised that this would reduce power costs by 8 per cent but South Australians are still struggling with the highest power prices in the nation.
“They also promised to deliver this project by 2025, yet there has barely been a shovel in the ground and the Government needs to explain why.”
Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero, Stephen Patterson added that the Select Committee will examine whether this hydrogen dream will ever become reality.
“We need to understand how much the Government’s hydrogen plan has already cost taxpayers, how much South Australians will be on the hook for and whether it will even go ahead as promised,” Mr Patterson said.
“This Government continues to pin their hydrogen hopes to the fortunes of Whyalla, which is grossly misleading.
“When the Government went to the election promising their grand hydrogen dream, they made no mention of Whyalla and now that their dream has become a nightmare, they are using GFG Alliance as a convenient scapegoat.
“I’m confident this Select Committee will unravel that spin.”
Mr Tarzia has today also called on the Government to release funds from the $50 million budget set aside for the Whyalla steelworks as immediate cash flow relief for those waiting for payments.
“Whilst the Government waits for GFG Alliance to pay their debts, the contractors and small businesses impacted in Whyalla are on the brink of collapse,” Mr Tarzia said.
“It’s clear to me from meeting with these hardworking South Australians in the Spencer Gulf on Friday that immediate cash flow is their biggest concern.
“I call on the Government to find a way to immediately ease this pressure.”
