Page 3465 - Week 09 - Thursday, 20 August 2009
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Supplementary answer to question without notice
Planning—inspection fees
MR BARR: Yesterday in question time Ms Le Couteur asked me about fees payable for electrical inspections, including inspections for installation of solar systems, and I undertook to provide the Assembly with some further detail. For the benefit of the Assembly, I can advise that, when Ms Le Couteur stated that inspections for installation of solar systems could cost up to three times the cost of general residential inspections because of the requirement to install and inspect inverters, I can only assume that Ms Le Couteur, whilst well intentioned, has failed to understand some of the key elements of the new arrangements. Or perhaps she has been misled.
The fee for the inspection of a photovoltaic array is $180 per inverter. This is exactly the same cost as the cost of a general residential inspection. I can advise the Assembly that, in some large commercial installations which are being proposed, the installations that are proposed have three separate inverters for connection to the three-phase main supply. And it is only in this case that the fee would be $180 times three. Thus far, there have been only two proposals of this size for the ACT.
The only other time where an additional fee would be charged is where the main switchboard for the house was being upgraded and an entirely new switchboard and enclosure was installed. In this circumstance there would be a fee for the inspection of the new switchboard. There is a frequently asked question sheet available on the ACTPLA website that covers this issue, and whilst I will not attempt to read the URL into the record I will provide the link for Hansard scribes.
Schools—St Clare of Assisi primary school
Statement by minister
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation): Also, can I advise the Assembly that it has been reported that this afternoon St Clare of Assisi primary school in Conder has suffered a significant fire. Happily, the reports we have received are that no children or staff have been hurt but I do understand that a number of classrooms have been damaged. Students have been evacuated to Lanyon high school for the afternoon.
I can confirm for the Assembly that, if required, the ACT government will do whatever we can to provide temporary accommodation in spare space at public schools for students whilst the school recovers from the fire and that my department is in contact with the Catholic Education Office to discuss their needs in this regard.
Energy efficient hot-water systems
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo), by leave: I seek clarification from the planning minister about comments he made yesterday in the Assembly in his speech on the Water and Sewerage (Energy Efficient Hot-Water Systems) Legislation Amendment Bill 2009. Mr Barr referred to a number of representations and letters that have been made to him and his office about the bill.
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