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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Wednesday, 25 August 2004) . . Page.. 4265 ..

which it was—by saying, “If you have the audacity to pass it, we just won’t implement it.” What does that say about the level of democracy in this place?

I think Mrs Cross’s amendment, while it may appear to have been presented to us at the 11th hour, does address the issues. However, it seems that it falls down because I thought of it or somebody else thought of it—that it is not valid because it is somebody else’s idea.

Mr Pratt: Or they can’t think of it.

MRS DUNNE: That is right. When it comes to these simple but important measures, this is a government that does not care and does not apply itself.

Proposed new clause 4A negatived.

Clause 5 agreed to.

Clause 6.

MR CORBELL (Minister for Health and Minister for Planning) (12.33 am): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move amendments Nos 3 to 5 circulated in my name together.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I move amendments Nos 3 to 5 circulated in my name together [see schedule 5 at page 4285].

Mr Speaker, I have already spoken in relation to amendment No 3 so I will focus on amendments 4 and 5. Amendment No 4 omits regulation 16A (1) in the bill and substitutes an alternative regulation 16A (1) and several additional sub-regulations.

Proposed sub-regulation 16A (1) prescribes requirements in relation to certain showers, taps and garbage disposal units, including prescribing that the maximum flow capacity of the water supply fixtures it refers to shall not be more than nine litres per minute, whereas the bill as tabled prescribes a 3A water efficient rating under the Australian and New Zealand standard.

The amendment effectively changes the bill from prescribing a 3A water efficiency rating to, instead, prescribing a maximum flow capacity for shower heads. This is necessary to avoid the bill’s provision unintentionally prohibiting the installation of shower heads that have a more efficient flow rating that 3A and also to cater for foreshadowed changes to the A rating scheme under the Australian standard.

The relevant flow range for shower heads with a 3A rating under the existing standard is a rate of more than 7.5 litres per minute but not more than nine litres per minute. Mandating a 3A-rated outlet therefore prohibits the installation of an outlet that has a flow of less that 7½ litres per minute. Standards Australia has a proposal to soon change the A rating label to a star rating label.

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