Page 3730 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 26 August 2009
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MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne): Mr Hargreaves, I cannot hear again. Can you be quiet, please.
MR SESELJA: We believe that is a reasonable period. We have spoken with industry on this particular amendment. That is a period which will allow orders to be completed and allow sufficient time to make adjustments that are needed to ensure that we do not get unintended consequences as a result of the passing of this legislation. We believe it is a reasonable change. It is not an undue delay but it will give enough time, about five months from now before it will commence, for industry to make the relevant adjustments. I commend it to the Assembly.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (4.35): The government’s view is that this amendment, although a step in the right direction, still is not consistent with the national framework that the government has signed up to as part of the Council of Australian Governments. That is a proper and thorough process. The government’s view is that the dates that we have agreed to as part of the national agreement, that I announced in my statement in this place last week, would be the appropriate dates. So we will not be supporting this amendment.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (4.35): The Greens will accept this amendment so that as much as possible of our original bill can be passed, although of course we are disappointed that the bill will not be passed in its entirety. Looking at the issue of dates, the Greens actually did extensive consultation about this issue, about the whole issue of hot-water change, and most people we spoke to said, “Isn’t it already law?” I think a lot of it was due to the Village Building Co putting hot-water services in all their affordable houses and that made people think obviously it must be the law.
As I said, one of the things I asked my office to do was start running through the Yellow Pages, ringing up plumbing suppliers. They did not have a problem. We spoke to the community councils. They have not had problems. Subsequent to Mr Barr’s comments about my lack of consultation, I have emailed and rung the MBA and the HIA, neither of whom have responded as yet.
I think the overwhelming feedback that we have is that everybody is expecting this to happen; so there is no issue in terms of the timing. I would also point out that every house plan that has already been approved would be approved under the existing situation; so there is an in-built delay in terms of when this actually comes into practical effect for new houses anyway.
Yes, the Greens will be accepting this amendment. We are a bit disappointed because climate change is an emergency. We need to act on it now, not some time in the future. But given this does at least give us certainty, we will be supporting it.
Amendment agreed to.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (4.38): I move amendment No 5 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 3774]. This is a slight
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