Page 3248 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 October 2022

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The ACT government is investing an additional $2.27 million over four years to complete the necessary initiative works for enhancing bushfire protection in the Canberra community. The government will provide this additional funding to the ACT Parks and Conservation Service to develop this initiative based on the areas of interest and the highest bushfire risk, and to assist with the modelling required to update bushfire management plans. The works determined by the initiative will bring the identified areas in these zones to the required bushfire standards.

There is still a lot to do in the planning and environment space. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues into the future to grow and protect our bush capital.

MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong—Attorney-General, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Gaming and Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction) (4.54): I am pleased to speak briefly in support of this part of the budget because there are a number of important initiatives here which have been, in some part, canvassed today, but some warrant some further explanation.

I am very pleased to talk about the Vulnerable Household Energy Support Scheme because the ACT government is committed to a just transition as part of our ambitious climate change agenda. To progress this, we have allocated $50 million to support low income households and public and social housing to make sure that all ACT households have the opportunity to make their homes climate ready and improve building efficiency as we transition to net zero emissions.

The Vulnerable Household Energy Support Scheme budget funding is being delivered to the community under the program name of the Home Energy Support Program. The Home Energy Support Program, which was launched earlier this year, includes among its commitments support to those in our community who are least able to transition to an energy efficient home and therefore are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

As part of the 2022-23 budget, the Home Energy Support Program enables $560,000 in upgrades to community housing properties to improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency; an extension of the pilot program, offering rebates for the installation of insulation to rental providers participating in the community land tax exemption scheme; more than 1,100 rebates to low income home owners to assist with upgrades to more energy efficient appliances; and funding to continue the tailored support for existing advisory services for renters. Additional support to improve thermal efficiency for those suffering chronic health conditions will also be provided.

In-home energy assessments and education wrap up this package to the private sector, ensuring that the suite of services will improve comfort and reduce costs. There will also be funding to contribute to a pilot program to deliver energy efficiency upgrades, including ceiling insulation and gas appliance replacement, to around 100 public housing properties.

I have spoken often in this place about the ACT’s transport emissions because they now account for more than 60 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions, and an


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