Page 3683 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 21 November 2006
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In the 2005-06 budget a total of $1 million was allocated to improve water and energy efficiency in public and community housing. Energy Strategies Pty Ltd, a national leader in energy analysis and advice, was engaged to identify water and energy efficiency initiatives for community and Housing ACT properties. The results of this consultancy were used to work out how to best implement energy and water initiatives in over 30 community organisation rental housing accommodation program, CORHAP, properties. Under this initiative for community housing 30 CORHAP properties were upgraded with solar hot water and ducted heating systems. These and other public housing properties will also benefit from 50,000 energy-efficient light globes, 7,400 Doust valves, which limit the amount of water used, and 1,850 fluid cistern inlet valves to assist in conserving water.
A pamphlet has been developed on water and energy saving measures and was distributed to all Housing ACT tenants in the October quarterly newsletter. The initiative is supported by the government’s water and energy savings in the territory program, the WEST program, that targets households that have been identified as having higher than normal energy and water bills. WEST involves energy audits, education and refit works for participating households.
A short while ago I had the pleasure of inspecting a property in Sladen Place, Curtin. It is head leased by L’Arche, a community organisation that works with people that have intellectual disabilities. They now have a heating and hot water system that will make a difference. Not only will it make their lives more comfortable; it will be cheaper to run and have less of an impact on the environment. The initiative further demonstrates this government’s commitment to the environment and to the welfare of public and community housing tenants. The environmental benefits will accrue over many years.
Planning
MR GENTLEMAN: My question is to the Minister for Planning. Minister, last week you announced that the ACT has been recognised for its performance by the Planning Institute of Australia’s national report card on planning jurisdictions. Minister, can you tell the Assembly how the ACT performed in this assessment?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Gentleman for the question. I was very pleased to see the results of the Planning Institute of Australia’s national planning report card, which was released to the public late last week. PIA is the national body, representing planning professionals across the country. It is an advocate for improved planning performance and systems and actively promotes economically, socially and environmentally sustainable communities. This is the first time that the Planning Institute of Australia has conducted this survey of its members across all states and territories.
It has reviewed the performance of all the state and territory governments across the 10 most critical criteria for a strong and healthy planning system. This assessment, I am very pleased to say, has shown that ACT planning has rated highly in a large number of categories. Based on the aggregated results across all criteria, the ACT has topped the national poll when it comes to performance on planning.
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