Monday 26^th November 2001

The Australian Democrats have taken the opportunity of Adelaide hosting the 2001 World Solar Congress to call on the new appointed State Premier Rob Kerin to honour a promise made and broken by his predecessor John Olsen.

"South Australia was promised and desperately needs a Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) to cut the surging price of electricity and reduce our production of greenhouse gases," says Sandra Kanck, Democrats Deputy Leader.

During the battle to privatise ETSA the Olsen Government promised to create a SEA if our electricity utilities were sold. The SEA would coordinate demand management programs and provide crucial support for alternative forms of generation such as solar energy during the vulnerable development stage.

"The promise to create a SEA proved worthless in the mouth of John Olsen – Rob Kerin now has the opportunity to prove he is of a different calibre from his predecessor," says Ms Kanck.

"The Liberal’s failure to create a SEA has already cost the state dearly and must be rectified before further damage is done to South Australia’s economic base by the increasing cost of electricity.

"The only feasible means of curbing the national electricity market’s rapacious pricing is to increase the generation of and reduce demand for electricity.

"Last summer’s "Turn it Off" campaign by AGL reduced demand by about 100 megawatts on the hottest days. But come 2003 AGL will have no incentive to reduce electricity demand.

"An ongoing demand management program coordinated through a SEA should be able to achieve a 300 megawatt reduction in peak demand by 2003. That would save South Australian tens of millions of dollars.

"South Australia is ideally placed to develop cutting edge solar generation. What is lacking is the understanding and commitment from government.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Sandra Kanck

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