PRIME MINISTER:
Welcome to Canberra.
COLIN GOODALL:
Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER:
The Treasurer and I are delighted to meet with you and talk about the issues that are foremost in your minds as business leaders from South Australia, the Committee for Adelaide.
I know that energy security and affordability is right at the heart of it.
I want to say to you that we understand what a threat it is to business in South Australia, to have the most expensive and the least reliable energy in the nation.
Whether it’s the chocolate business that needs to keep the chocolates cool and stop them from melting in 40-degree heat, or whether it is the steel business that needs affordable energy, right across the board, the jobs of the men and women you employ, depend on affordable and secure energy.
We are determined to ensure that you have that and all Australians have that. And we want to talk to you today about how you’re seeing those challenges and how we can help.
COLIN GOODALL:
Thank you. I make the comment, Prime Minister, that I think we in South Australia perhaps, are the canary in the coal mine. So the problems that we are facing, we feel very strongly, that they could well be coming to others.
There is an opportunity to look at the problems that we’ve got - the problems of generation, of distribution, the polls and wires - the whole infrastructure. There is no cheaper time going to be in my lifetime to fix infrastructure than now. Interest rates low, it’s a wonderful opportunity.
We are passionate South Australians, which is why we are all here. It’s a wonderful place to be. If my power didn’t go out twice last week and five times in the last four months, it would be even better.
[Ends]