Ms CLANCY (Elder) (12:18): The bill before this place today gives me cause to reflect on our changing energy system, a system in which our state has proudly often not just been nation-leading but world-leading, with a clear focus on renewable energy. Here we have a bill that seeks to patch up problems affecting the natural gas system, problems that need to be addressed even as we embark on the change to renewable gases, including the key development of hydrogen as a fuel gas.

This bill will give more powers to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to obtain information and intervene in the market to ensure there is sufficient reliable supply in the east coast gas system. It has come about because the market failed to meet the expectations of businesses and households that gas should be readily available at affordable prices in a country that has vast quantities of natural gas reserves.

If market participants feel any discomfort about AEMO's enhanced powers, they should attribute that to the market failure, which came on top of the decade when Australia lacked a coherent energy policy while the Coalition in Canberra tore itself apart over climate change. Fortunately, both in Canberra and across the states Australia is now moving past the tired old climate wars and working collaboratively towards addressing climate change through sensible energy policy. Here in South Australia, the development of the hydrogen industry is a crucial component of that energy policy direction.

As I have previously shared in this place, my electorate of Elder is the proud host to the Hydrogen Park SA facility in the Tonsley Innovation District. If you have never popped by the Tonsley Innovation District, I recommend everyone do so. There is a lot of cool stuff going on. As a completely unrelated side note, one of my election commitments was to make sure toilets and a drink fountain were available there on the weekends—which is handy, because while there is a lot of exciting stuff going on there in the innovation space and the gas space during the week, on the weekends it is a wonderful place to bring your family and to teach your little ones how to ride their bikes. It is free of sunshine and free of the rain, so it is a good spot for anyone to pop down to.

That aside, the Hydrogen Park SA facility in the Tonsley Innovation District is still using the largest electrolyser in Australia—the largest—and is successfully producing hydrogen from renewable electricity. It has been blending this into the gas network for 700 homes in Mitchell Park since the year 2021 and filling tube trailers to deliver hydrogen to commercial and industrial customers. I am excited to see that the owners of Hydrogen Park SA, the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, aims to extend that blended gas to a further 3,000 homes, businesses and institutions from early this year.

Just in case you have been living under a rock or you are one of the very few people, I am sure, who missed Tuesday's question time, the Malinauskas government is investing $593 million in our Hydrogen Jobs Plan. With an aggressive timetable, the Hydrogen Jobs Plan will build electrolysers to manufacture green hydrogen, install storage and construct a 200-megawatt electricity generator. The generator will provide firming services, thereby facilitating more renewable energy projects to reach financial close in South Australia. This will create more jobs, strengthen the economy and create options for South Australian businesses to develop products stamped with a big green tick of sustainability. As the world moves to a decarbonised economy, this will be a huge competitive advantage.

As we build that future, it will be important to take lessons from the system we find ourselves in now. The illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which happened a year ago today, disrupted international energy markets, particularly gas. Prices soared globally as companies and nations moved to lock in supply from sources other than Russia. Australian gas exporters looked to make quick profits exporting cargoes to the spot market, over and above their contracted obligations. High prices and tight supply then hit Australia, and those conditions led to this bill that is before us today.

As we build the hydrogen industry, it will be important that we structure the system so that we have greater resilience in Australia to withstand external shocks such as the Ukraine-Russia effect. The world is not a quiet place. There are growing international tensions. Climate change will increase these tensions further as countries compete for resources and face the need to mitigate against the worst effects of global warming.

Hydrogen will play a major role in combating runaway temperatures by providing a fuel source that does not add to greenhouse gases. In South Australia, we have a remarkable amount of sun and wind, which will power development of the green hydrogen industry. We must do so founded on a strong base of sovereign resilience. The bill before us is a reminder that markets require firm guide rails to ensure that the interests of consumers and businesses are protected while allowing entrepreneurial spirits to thrive. This bill is a necessary fix on the existing system to ensure consumers will have reliable energy supply, particularly in the winter months ahead. I commend the bill to the house.