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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4867 ..

[COGNATE BILL:

Debate resumed.

MS TUCKER: Also from the Housing Industry Association I have heard that we are causing a distortion of the market. Well, yes; we are very pleased to distort the market in this way. But the claim from that association was that this is in contravention of competition policy. Competition policy is not meant to override the public interest. The increasing global warming is certainly going to negatively impact on public interest. Leaving the market to rule, letting competition determine what we, as a society, are doing is a very frightening thought. The report of the Assembly's Select Committee on Competition Policy Reform, which was formed after the Greens' motion was passed, quite clearly stated that we did have to take on competition policy with caution. I quote from that report:

Competition policy is not about the pursuit of competition for its own sake. Rather, it seeks to facilitate effective competition in the interests of economic efficiency while accommodating situations where competition does not achieve efficiency or conflicts with other social objectives.

I would think reducing greenhouse gas emissions should fit pretty easily in there. Interestingly, too, the commission and tribunal have recognised as a public benefit:

... supply of better information to consumers and business to permit informed choices in their dealings.

So, we are actually being supported by competition policy in this Bill. This Bill seeks to encourage an awareness in both the community and industry, through providing information, of the advantages of energy efficiency; with the ultimate aim, of course, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I found it very perplexing how easily people can ignore the danger of climate change when I read in the paper today that Robert Hill was complaining because Australia thinks it is unfavourable that the Kyoto conference draft paper allows Australia to increase emissions by only five per cent from the 1990 levels. I have to wonder where he has been and what he is reading. It looks like Robert Hill thinks this is a conference about increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and future generations will condemn him for this.

MR SPEAKER: It also looks as though you are debating something other than what is before the house.

MS TUCKER: This is about greenhouse gas emissions - - -

MR SPEAKER: No; I do not think it is. I think it is about residential tenancies and energy efficiency ratings.

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