Page 2602 - Week 07 - Thursday, 18 June 2009
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appears that a number of people are using their wood heaters ineffectively, causing a build-up of fine particles in the air and resulting in a number of public health concerns for people with respiratory and cardiac associations. As has been said before, the Tuggeranong Valley is one of the three worst areas in Australia for this type of pollution. Obviously, this is because of how Tuggeranong is situated.
Separately from the issue of those constituents who have written to me about wood heaters, I have sought to consult with residents of the Tuggeranong Valley as I appreciate that there are a number of different views on this issue. For example, at stalls I have recently run I have provided questionnaires for people on the issue of wood heaters. The responses were varied. Some people had respiratory problems and suffered somewhat during winter; others did not notice it all. A lot of the respondents used gas or electric heating; very few people used wood heaters.
It has also been informative to read a number of letters that have been published in the Chronicle. Letter writers included the Australian Home Heating Association and a person suffering lung cancer. Proposed solutions ranged from better education campaigns to getting rid of wood heaters altogether. Interestingly, though, one view did not vary: whether there was an air quality problem. There was a fairly consistent view that air quality in the Tuggeranong Valley is problematic and needs to be improved. Therefore, recent statements by the government that air quality is improving and that little change needs to occur need to be explained.
In preparing for today’s MPI, I found that the thing that was most disappointing to me was going back over the record and realising that we have not come very far on this issue over the last 10 years, mainly because there has not been a decent education campaign and resources to police the regulations.
In 2000 Kerrie Tucker moved changes to environmental protection legislation regarding firewood; but, because there was little policing of the law, problems remain. In 2004 the government introduced the wood heater replacement scheme, but the scheme has had little take-up; this may be because of limited awareness. Any change in strategy that the government adopts will need to include a strong educational campaign. It is disappointing that the minister responsible for the “don’t burn tonight” campaign could provide little detail about this campaign when asked questions about it. Ms Burch raised a number of ways in which pollution issues can be addressed, but government should be taking a lead on promoting these.
I am encouraged to hear that there is action occurring at the national level. However, we need to look at areas such as Launceston, which has the same problems as Tuggeranong, where they have had a high take-up rate of their wood heater buyback and are now looking to phase out wood heaters. Looking at other successful programs is important, as is considering the cost of heating for low income families. But we cannot ignore the fact that health issues from wood smoke do occur and must be factored into any course of action we take on this issue.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): The discussion is now concluded.
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