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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (3 December) . . Page.. 4404 ..

MS TUCKER (10.51): I present the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 1997.

Title read by Clerk.

MS TUCKER: I move:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

Mr Speaker, it is with pleasure that I table the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 1997, which goes together with the Energy Efficiency Ratings (Sale of Premises) Bill. I will address my remarks to both Bills. The purpose of these two pieces of legislation is to apply the existing home energy rating system to existing houses, so that all houses in the ACT receive what is commonly known as a star rating when they are rented or sold.

Mr Speaker, as we all know, the necessity of reducing our global greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most critical and urgent tasks facing the planet. I have spoken at length in this place previously about the environmental and economic consequences of global warming. Global warming will contribute to an increased incidence of drought, floods, hurricanes and rising sea levels which will threaten small island nations. It will cause seas to rise and tropical diseases to spread. Ecosystems will be lost. Global warming will create droughts and destroy fishery and agricultural industries.

Human activity is causing these changes. Burning fossil fuels, land clearing and industrial activity all contribute to global warming. So, if we are to reduce greenhouse gases, humans must change the way they are living. We simply cannot afford not to take the strongest possible action. Although it is a global problem, local solutions are absolutely essential. While the economic irrationalist spin doctors are busy telling us that reducing greenhouse gases will destroy the economy, they ignore the economic realities. Not only will global warming damage many primary industries; but the economic rationalists fail to see the opportunities that are actually before us.

Creating a more sustainable Canberra in terms of energy use is certainly a challenge; but, as the capital city of a developed country which is one of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emitters on the planet, we have no choice but to take up that challenge. Most of the technology is at our fingertips. All that is lacking is the political will. I see this very much as an opportunity. With the ACT struggling to diversify its economy, developing the expertise to reduce our greenhouse gases is an important opportunity we cannot afford to miss, because energy efficiency projects and the development of renewable energy technologies will generate new businesses and employment opportunities in the ACT. Government must demonstrate leadership if the ACT is to deal with the challenge of minimising our impact on global and local greenhouse gas emissions. One important part of the strategy is practical measures to help businesses and households reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and that is what these two pieces of legislation are about.

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