Page 1849 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 June 2022

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

(3) further notes that:

(a) low-income households can face challenges in being able to access rebate schemes to replace heaters with energy efficient split systems if it involves an out-of-pocket cost;

(b) the current Wood Heater Replacement Program could be improved to make it more effective in reducing wood heater smoke in the Tuggeranong Valley in the ACT and improving air quality; and

(c) work has already commenced to review the Wood Heater Replacement Program, as referred to in the aforementioned Action Plan; and

(4) calls on the Government to:

(a) trial a program to assist low-income households to achieve the following outcomes:

(i) replace wood heaters with energy-efficient reverse cycle split system units;

(ii) limit the impost on the householder by ensuring the application process is as simple and accessible as possible; and

(iii) in order to make this transition accessible, explore the option that such a changeover comes at no up-front expense to the household, rather than a rebate;

(b) promote this and existing programs to increase uptake, and make sure that any householder that would benefit from said programs is made aware of such opportunities; and

Today I call on the ACT government to take meaningful action on an issue that has been challenging the Tuggeranong community for a very long time. The ACT Greens believe in the right to clean air. That should not be a controversial statement. It was reaffirmed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment in 2019. Anyone who had to grab a mask during our bushfire season in the summer of 2019 could tell you that clean air is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is non-negotiable.

We know that some pollutants have no known safe levels. Particulate matter 2.5 is just one of them, and unfortunately it is a pollutant that we see far too much of in Tuggeranong. Smoke from wood heaters is a massive contributor to our PM2.5 pollution levels. In fact, it is one of the main sources of air pollution during our winter months. I would like to quote directly from friends at Asthma Australia, because I feel that the severity of the health risk from wood heaters is often overlooked. They say:

Woodfire heater smoke is a risk factor for developing asthma and triggering symptoms in people who already have asthma. It is also a risk factor for other respiratory illnesses, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, premature birth, and premature death.

In New South Wales the Environment Protection Agency have estimated that wood heater pollution will cost their state a whopping $8.1 billion through the provision of

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video