Sensational-Adelaide.com

abc wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 30, 2024 12:42 pm

^ I don't see what this has to do with the economy.

SBD wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 8:44 am

abc wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 30, 2024 12:42 pm

^ I don't see what this has to do with the economy.

It employs people to build it, more people to operate it, and facilitates trade. How could it not have to do with the economy?

shiftaling wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 3:04 pm

I guess all of the projects have more or less connection to the economy, maybe the comment intended that it could be in its own thread as a proposed development or such. Personally I don't have a problem reading interesting tidbits wherever they are posted, I tend to catch up with the latest updates by date anyway

SBD wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 8:44 am

abc wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 30, 2024 12:42 pm

^ I don't see what this has to do with the economy.

It employs people to build it, more people to operate it, and facilitates trade. How could it not have to do with the economy?

SBD wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 8:44 am

abc wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 30, 2024 12:42 pm

^ I don't see what this has to do with the economy.

It employs people to build it, more people to operate it, and facilitates trade. How could it not have to do with the economy?

mattblack wrote:Sorry abc, another article relating to the SA Economy that you won't beable to see the relation to.

Enjoy the good news

The second AFL Gather Round contributed more than $91 million to South Australia’s economy and delivered more than 190,000 visitor nights in the state.

The economic contribution of $91.6 million is a 10 per cent increase on the inaugural Gather Round in 2023, while the total number of visitor nights increased by 40,209.

A total of 265,011 attended the sold out four-day footy festival from April 4 to 7.

According to independent analysis undertaken for the AFL by IER, the event attracted 45,847 visitors to South Australia, and supported 655 full-time equivalent jobs.

The research found that around 93 per cent of these visitors spent at least one night in South Australia, with interstate visitors spending on average 4.5 nights in South Australia.

The benefit was not just for Adelaide. IER’s analysis shows that of the 191,669 visitor nights created, 52,026 were outside of the city.

Sorry, formatting won't copy across, but you can see the uptick from 2023 to 2024

2024 2023
Economic contribution $91.6 million $83.5 million
Visitors to SA 45,847 41,262
% from interstate 33% 32%
Visitor nights 191,696 151,487
In Adelaide 139,669 126,330
Elsewhere in SA 52,026 25,157
Source: IER

Australia’s highest electricity costs hold SA back in business cost report
South Australia is being held back by nation-leading energy costs in a ranking of business-friendly states.

Paul Starick
Editor At Large
@paulstarick
2 min read
August 8, 2024 - 6:00PM

The nation’s most expensive electricity costs are a “major black mark” holding South Australia back from being the most business-friendly state, according to a research-based ranking.

SA is “growing its reputation as a state that is open for business” and is second behind Western Australia of the five states ranked in an Institute of Public Affairs paper.

The Ease of Doing Business Report finds SA has the lowest state tax and red tape burden, while also ranking second in rental and fuel costs.

But a comparison of annual electricity bills for businesses with consumption of 20,000 kWh finds SA has the highest cost of $10,964 – NSW was second-most expensive at $8718 and Victoria the cheapest at $6580.

Report author and IPA research fellow Lachlan Clark said the ease of doing business was critical to overall economic performance, resulting in the creation of well-paying jobs.

“South Australia is growing its reputation as a state that is open for business. The state’s taxation system is attractive for new businesses to invest and grow for the benefit of South Australians,” he said.

“Although South Australia’s ease of doing business credentials are impressive, a major black mark is the fact that energy is the most expensive in the nation. This is due to the shortsighted decision to decommission and blow up its baseload power supplies.

“Having to rely on a state such as Victoria, with all of its problems, to supply critical energy is no way to run a state economy.”

Wholesale electricity prices soared in southern states on Monday after SA’s wind and solar generation fell to zero, according to clean energy analyst Renew Economy.

SA has relied on an interconnector to Victoria and gas-fired generators for baseload power since Port Augusta’s coal-fired plant stopped generating electricity in May, 2016.

The former Port Augusta site has been earmarked for a nuclear power station by the federal Coalition in a policy it argues will drive down energy prices.

Mr Clark praised Premier Peter Malinauskas’s open-minded nuclear power stance, saying this was “a much-needed, mature outlook”, even though he has dismissed it as uneconomic for Australia.

“South Australia’s leaders should be looking at ways to strengthen the state’s affordable and reliable baseload power generation,” Mr Clark said.

The Malinauskas government’s cornerstone energy policy is a $593m hydrogen power plant at Whyalla, modelling for which Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis has said would bring prices down by 10 per cent.

“We have an oversupply of renewable energy and the key to cracking the code of decarbonisation has always been storage, so we look at things like battery storage, grid-scale battery storage and hydrogen,” he said in mid-July.

Leading regional businesses hit with surging power bills as the country’s highest electricity costs cripple the agriculture industry.
Leading regional South Australian businesses have been hit with surging power bills as the country’s highest electricity costs cripple the agriculture industry and send staple produce prices soaring.

Andrew Hough and Paul Starick
4 min read
August 26, 2024 - 7:52PM


Nippy’s boss Ben Knispel at his Regency Park warehouse in Adelaide on Monday. Nippy's electricity bill has surged. Picture: RoyVphotography

Leading regional South Australian businesses have been hit with surging power bills as the country’s highest electricity costs cripple the agriculture industry and send staple produce prices soaring.

In a striking example of an unfolding crisis, iconic firm Nippy’s monthly electricity bill more than doubled in a year despite the drinks manufacturer using fewer power hours.

Other industries have been slugged with bill increases worth more than a third on average, adding tens of thousands of dollars to overhead costs.

Despite expensive investment in renewable equipment and seasonal producers being in “off seasons”, country owners told how “network charges” still sparked large bills.

Concerned farmers have also been forced to employ special “energy consultants” to help save money.

As a new political row erupted, business chiefs revealed energy costs were among the top concerns for firms desperate to avoid hurting customers in a cost-of-living crisis.

Ben Knispel, joint managing director of the Knispel Group, the company behind the Nippy’s brand, said the increasing rate of electricity was a major concern.

The firm, which has two Riverland factories at Waikerie and Moorook along with a Regency Park warehouse in Adelaide’s northwest, had a “great” multi-year contract end in December 2023.

The company, founded almost 100 years ago and famed for its citrus juices and flavoured milk, was invoiced $51,600 last June for 260,073kw/h of use at its Moorook plant.

This month, its invoice was $109,580.10 – including almost $34,350 of market or network charges – despite using almost 6200 fewer hours.

After spending almost $1m on solar panels – which will cost significant money to repair – energy efficient lighting and special pump equipment, its annual power “spot price” bill is almost $2m.

“It just would be nice if we had reliable power 24 hours a day and grid stability because it’s a mess,” said Mr Knispel, company boss for 10 years who employs more than 200 workers.

“It’s just so frustrating doing the right thing, trying to reduce our footprint.

“But it’s all over the place. We’re growing and we’re doing OK but we will look to have price rises, sadly, as we can’t absorb these costs forever.”

Diary Farmers Association president, former Upper House MP Robert Brokenshire, said his industry had suffered an “astronomical” rise in electricity costs that were 38 per cent on average.

His bill had increased from $70,000 last year to almost $100,000 in 2024 for his nearly 400ha Fleurieu Peninsula property that farms 800 cows.

He has been forced to hire a consultant to help deal with he said was a top 5 cost.

“These prices are so out of control, and complex, that you need an external consultant to organise the power,” said Mr Brokenshire, a farmer for 40 years.

Century Orchards chief executive officer Brendan Sidu, said his Loxton almond business had power bills surge up to 60 per cent in the past three years.


Mr Sidu, an Australian Almond Board member, said his annual electricity bill was almost $100,000 compared to $60,000 two years ago but his the industry can’t onpass costs.

“We just have to absorb it all and it’s definitely hurting,” he said.

Master Builders Association of SA chief executive officer Will Frogley said: “Massive power prices are killing our regions. They’re not just affecting consumers, they’re stifling developments and job growth.”

High energy prices were among the top three issues of the SA Business Chamber’s Regional Voice survey, published on August 11 and were of particular concern in agriculture, retail and accommodation sectors.

The report published data showing SA had experienced the greatest increase in electricity bills in Australia.

“Businesses in South Australia continue to have the highest annual electricity bills ($10,427), almost double that of their counterparts in Tasmania ($5,902),” the SA Business Chamber report said.

The federal Liberal Member for Barker, Tony Pasin, whose electorate covers the Barossa Valley, Riverland, Coorong, and South East, condemned Labor’s “renewable only policy looks” that left SA with the “highest electricity costs in the country”.

“You can’t have a future made in Australia if present day electricity prices mean long standing successful business like Nippy's are finding it increasingly hard to keep the lights on,” he said.

State Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said authorities were “acutely aware of cost of living pressures, including energy bills, on families and businesses”.

“We were pleased to see bigger-than-expected cuts to electricity bills locked in from July for South Australian households and small businesses,” he said.

He “strongly” recommended businesses concerned about energy bills to contact the government’s free Energy Advisory Service.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s spokeswoman said the federal government was delivering $325 in energy bill relief to one million small businesses and $300 per household.

Market offer prices had fallen, partly because of Labor’s coal and gas price caps.

“SA households on standard offers are seeing falls in energy bills of over 15 per cent, and small businesses are seeing falls of over 14 per cent compared to last year,” she said.

“Tony Pasin and the Liberals voted against energy bill relief and coal and gas caps. They now want to introduce the most expensive form of energy, nuclear energy.”

Nuclear energy would add $1000 to energy bills and supply less than four per cent of energy required by households and businesses, she said.