Page 2874 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 19 September 2006
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The ACT government regards climate change as a pressing issue for all governments. Each government is, in fact, undertaking some activity in this area. We are undertaking many actions to address climate change and the greenhouse gas emissions that are the cause of climate change. We have a current ACT greenhouse strategy 2000, with initiatives both completed and continuing that address greenhouse gas abatement. We are building on this work to develop a climate change strategy which will address both the abatement of greenhouse gases and how the ACT can adapt to current and future impacts of climate change. I expect the government to be in a position to announce that new strategy early in 2007, when the community consultation on our proposed approach is completed.
The current strategy, covering climate change in the ACT, is the ACT greenhouse strategy 2000, as I said. The major initiatives operating under this strategy include the greenhouse gas abatement scheme, a form of emissions trading scheme that operates in New South Wales and the ACT. The scheme commenced in January 2005. It requires all electricity retailers to procure over time an increased component of electricity from accredited clean or green sources. The scheme is the single most effective mechanism in Australia for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2005, it achieved greenhouse gas emissions abatement of about 316,362 tonnes. This is the equivalent of the annual emissions produced by about 73,570 cars.
In regard to the building sector, for residential buildings the initiatives include mandatory energy efficiency rating declaration at point of sale, introduction of five-star energy to the building code, investigations into a residential rating tool for sustainability and energy efficient subdivision guidelines.
Community programs include the ACT energy wise program, announced in December 2004, which provides home energy audits and rebates for energy efficiency improvements. It is a three-year program of $300,000 a year, funded to 2007-08. The uptake for the audit program from June 2005 to June 2006 is 568, and for rebates the uptake is 255.
The Home Energy Advisory Service provides advice to residents and small businesses on energy efficiency measures and is funded at $140,000 a year. The Home Energy Advisory Service has responded to a total of 5,548 inquiries between 2002-03 and 2005-06. The Home Energy Advisory Service is an ongoing program worth $140,000, as I said. The ACT energy wise program is a three-year program of $268,000 a year to 2007-08. Three-year contracts for both programs are currently out to tender.
MR GENTLEMAN: Minister, are you able to tell the Assembly what stage you are at in developing a climate change strategy for the coming year?
MR HARGREAVES: Yes, I can. Before doing so, I need to advise that, in relation to government programs, in September 2005 the government increased its commitment to the purchase of green electricity to an estimated 23 per cent from 1 July 2006, at a cost of $300,000, for an estimated 30,180 tonnes of CO2 equivalent saving. This makes the ACT second only to Tasmania in the percentage use of green electricity among all Australian governments.
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