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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3770 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

then obviously that is an additional cost which we will have to bear. If the Assembly decides to pass those amendments today we will have to find those resources to make that happen. I am not sure that it contributes greatly to the operation of the tribunal, but I will obviously bow to the will of the Assembly. As far as community education is concerned, I can confirm that the Consumer Affairs Bureau is presently working on an education campaign surrounding the introduction of the Residential Tenancies Act. That work will move into the implementation phase when the legislation passes through the house today, as I am confident it will.

Mr Speaker, I think it is quite important that we have reached this stage. I thank members for their support for this Bill. It will make a major difference to the way tenancies operate in this Territory. It is, in a sense, the second major reform to the tenancy area in the ACT. It follows, almost three years ago exactly, the legislation putting in place protection for retail and commercial tenancies. Now we are matching it, if you like, complementing it, with protection for residential tenancies. Overall, the package, although obviously it will be subject to some refinement, is a very big advance in both its phases on the position of those who are in those relationships, particularly tenants. I hope it will be of great value to those people as they seek to enforce legitimate rights that are theirs in the course of their dealings with it in the ACT.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole

MS TUCKER (5.39): I move:

Page 7, line 25, clause 10, subclause (3), add the following paragraph:

"(c) in relation to the premises that are the subject of the proposed residential tenancy agreement - an energy efficiency rating statement in accordance with the Energy Ratings System for Residential Buildings prescribed by the Australian Capital Territory Planning Authority for the purposes of the Territory Plan as in effect from time to time under the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991.".

I have already outlined my reasons for moving this amendment. As indicated, this amendment requires a lessor to provide a copy of an energy rating statement as a precontractual agreement to any potential tenant. On advice, we believe this is a sensible place to include such a requirement because the essence of the amendment is about consumer information and creating an informed market for energy efficient housing in the ACT. The Liberal Party should certainly support this. After all, all we are

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