Page 80 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 December 2004
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I have already increased the profile and responsibilities of the Office of Sustainability in my department. In addition to its existing roles and responsibilities, it now has responsibility for energy, greenhouse and water policy. This is more than just shuffling deck chairs. It will give these issues a whole-of-government focus.
The office will play a leading role in the development of a sustainability act to ensure that the principles of sustainability are incorporated into the everyday work of government agencies. The legislation will have a profound effect on the way the government carries out its work. It will establish a sustainability code of practice to guide the decisions, actions and operations of government agencies. It will introduce sustainability procurement guidelines that will help government agencies move the ACT towards sustainability and, at the same time, provide a market for sustainable goods and services.
It will provide financial management guidelines for evaluating the sustainability of government activities and programs, and establish a framework for sustainability reporting. This will be a critical piece of legislation. Given the scope of the ACT government’s activities, it will be a great step towards sustainability.
Another step will be the development of an energy policy. Like water, energy is fundamental to business and community life. We will develop an energy policy to ensure that the ACT will have reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable energy into the future. We will encourage the use of more sustainable transport. Where cars are essential, we will promote the use of more efficient vehicles, and the government is again leading the way. We have set ourselves a target for our second term to ensure that 10 per cent of the government fleet will be fuel efficient, low emission vehicles by 2008.
Over the next four years, the government will take up the challenge of reducing greenhouse emissions. We will ensure that innovative measures are in place to address this important challenge—innovative measures like the trial greenhouse gas reduction project in schools that I committed to during the election campaign. Ten ACT schools, six government and four Catholic, will be selected to take part in the trial, which aims to cut energy consumption by 25 per cent a year, and it will aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions each year by 30 tonnes. We will achieve these targets through a range of measures, including the use of photovoltaic technology and by installing timers on light switches and insulation. Again, the government is not shirking its responsibilities in leading the way to sustainability.
Water is also critical for the long-term future of the ACT and the surrounding region. We are moving quickly, firmly and responsibly. I have taken responsibility for water issues and the administration of that is now being undertaken in the Chief Minister’s Department. Because of the drought and bushfire damage to our catchments, we have introduced restrictions on use to ration our supply, and we have spent $54 million on upgrading water treatment facilities so that we can continue to provide water to the people of Canberra.
We have introduced water efficiency measures, spelt out in the “Think water, act water” strategy, that encourage and support more efficient use of water in houses, gardens and parks. We have recognised that we need to plan for the growth of the ACT and the
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