Page 1850 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 June 2022
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necessary health services over the next 20 years. Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that around four million people die prematurely from the domestic burning of biomass, including wood.
Many would be unaware of the concept of the “intake fraction”. The intake fraction is the proportion of a pollutant that people will actually inhale. Because wood heaters are located in people’s homes, directly in their living rooms, the intake fraction of pollutants is much higher than a lot of high-scale industrial emissions.
The Tuggeranong Valley is particularly vulnerable to PM2.5. Research shows that it is one of the worst affected areas in Australia. Back in 2020 we saw a whopping 37 days above acceptable levels of PM2.5 pollution from the air quality sensor in Monash. We can blame 13 of those on wood heater emissions during the winter months. To put that into perspective, that is up from a meagre two days in 2019.
People are noticing. I have been contacted by many constituents in the short 18 months that I have served in this place who are worried for their own health, the health of their families and the health of their broader community. As we slide into the winter months, I suspect that I might hear from even more constituents asking us to do something about the smoke from wood heaters. With more people staying at home during COVID lockdowns, and subsequently many continuing to work from home, the health risks from wood heaters have only grown. So it is time to do something.
A lot of people have asked: why not just ban wood heaters entirely? While we are aware of the serious health risks from wood heater smoke, we also have to remember that heating is essential here in Canberra. My approach to my work in this place has always been, “More carrot and less stick.” Why ban something, why be accused of being the fun police in the comments section, when you can actually tailor-design programs to ensure that people are getting the help they need, when they need it, to make their own decisions, and to improve their own health and the health of their communities?
Heating is expensive, though; we know that. We know that many Canberra households are struggling with the rising costs of living, even with the good news this week that the ACT is the only jurisdiction in the country insulated from the current rising cost of electricity. That does not change the fact that it still is very expensive to run a household here in the ACT. Many lack the disposable income to replace their wood heating with electric heating. I am talking about those with a wood heater in their home currently that would prefer to have electric heating but for whom that changeover would require thousands in immediate out-of-pocket expenses. That is a big hit to the hip pocket for many pay cheque to pay cheque households in my electorate of Brindabella.
I believe we need to make this transition accessible to everybody in our community. My motion very specifically is targeted towards low income households in particular. I do not want the upfront cost of replacing your wood heater with something safer, something cleaner for you, your family and the broader community, to price Canberra households out of making this very important decision. I spoke to a constituent
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