Page 2637 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 2 July 2008
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MRS DUNNE: derriere; thank you, Mr Hargreaves—and actually do something in relation to energy policy to improve the energy outcomes for the ACT.
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella) (5.34): As I outlined in my response to Dr Foskey’s 15th amendment, the government sees no need to change the existing wording of the clause, as it already allows flexibility for the minister to determine new and other existing technologies after an appropriate evaluation of the environmental benefits of those technologies. The bill also allows the minister to administer varying rates for those technologies. Coming back to some of Dr Foskey’s comments regarding different rates for different sorts of generation, as new technologies evolve and the minister allows those to be part of this feed-in law, he can determine the rates for those as well.
In regard to some of Mrs Dunne’s comments, she spoke many times in this debate about the Stanhope government doing nothing over the years. Mrs Dunne said that the Stanhope government had done little to address climate change issues and that this legislation represented one small part of our push against climate change. It is one action within the Stanhope government’s Weathering the Change initiative on climate change, which contains 43 actions.
Mrs Dunne: You are not doing any of them.
MR GENTLEMAN: Mrs Dunne interjects across the chamber that we are not doing anything, so perhaps I could bring her up to date on what we have done. With respect to the achievements to date under Weathering the Change, action 3 is to establish an energy-efficient fund for ACT government agencies. The fund commenced in November 2007. The first round of applications closed in mid-February 2008. The successful applications are those for CIT and Canberra Stadium.
Under action 5, with respect to legislation passed, the variation to the Utilities Act and the green power opt-out scheme will commence on 1 January next year. Under action 8, with respect to commencing audits of ACT Housing properties, work will begin later this year. Under action 9, solar hot-water rebates are to be provided through the EnergyWise scheme. Under action 10, the ACT government is working as a member of COAG with other governments on a national emissions trading scheme. Under action 11, schools are being assisted to become energy-neutral. Fifty-two schools have already had energy audits and environmental management plans put in place.
Under action 12, ACTION buses are being replaced with low-emission CNG buses. Under action 13 of the strategy, 1,713 energy-efficient street lights have already been installed, and a further 5,600 will be installed in 2008-09. Under action 14, bike riders can now ride on ACTION buses for free, and bike racks have been installed on buses on key routes.
Under action 18, the feed-in tariff legislation is being finalised today. Under action 21, integrated transport networks have been planned for the future development areas of Molonglo and East Lake. Under action 23, new homeowners’ entitlement to trees and shrubs has been doubled. Under action 25, the urban forest replacement program has
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