Page 4459 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 14 October 2009
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MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, when will the ACT government repay this tax?
MS GALLAGHER: This matter is before the court, it is under appeal, and I do not think it is useful if I add anything at this point in time. The advice at this point in time is that we do not need to repay tax collected.
MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, a further supplementary?
MRS DUNNE: Treasurer, can you provide the advice that you have received in relation to the decision to the Assembly?
MS GALLAGHER: No. That advice is privileged, legal advice. The matter is currently before the court. I think it would be highly unusual for us to release legal information and legal advice which may be used in terms of prosecuting a case for the territory.
Mr Stanhope: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
Housing—public
MR HARGREAVES: Yesterday I took on notice a supplementary question from Ms Bresnan, and would like to respond. The member’s question was: how does the government decide whether to install solar, heat pump or gas hot-water services and what proportion of each is currently being installed? The answer is that in the last quarter the percentage of systems installed was 26 per cent gas, four per cent panelled solar, 31 per cent heat pump and 39 per cent electric resistive.
I would like to provide members with additional information about this matter. Housing ACT’s total facilities manager, Spotless, has developed and issued to its plumbers a decision process that guides which system is to be installed when a hot-water unit requires replacement. Where gas is already connected to a single residential property, five-star gas hot-water systems are installed. Where a home is oriented to maximise solar collection without obstruction from trees or other buildings, panelled solar systems are installed on the roof. Otherwise heat pump systems are generally installed.
Due to generally low gas connections, heat pumps make up the majority of installations in single residential dwellings. I need to emphasise that they are in single residential dwellings. Those other percentages talk about the total stock. They also include our multi-unit properties, which are a little bit different. Housing ACT is working with Spotless to develop a cost-effective method of installing panelled solar hot-water systems with a view to increasing the percentage of panelled solar installations by the end of the 2009-10 financial year.
Multi-unit sites such as apartments and flats have like-for-like replacement, although the opportunity is taken to right-size the electric resistive unit to reduce unnecessary waste.
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