Page 4847 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 October 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Concerns regarding the impacts of climate change are not just about our natural environment. Climate change also threatens to have a significant impact on matters of social justice, for it is those who are most vulnerable who will be likely to suffer the most.
Taking health as an example, we know that climate change may lead to more dramatic weather patterns, affecting people’s health and their demand for health services. Possible heatwaves affect those who are older or have chronic disease, as they are at threat from heat exhaustion. And if Canberra becomes hotter and drier, our water resources could also be affected. Food production in our neighbouring states is likely to change, and we must look to ways in which we can ensure there will be a sustainable supply of key food groups.
By taking positive steps towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, there will be positive public health outcomes for our population. For the first time ever, it is said that the generations beyond ours will experience a decrease in life expectancy, so the benefits of the strategies we use to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions also have the ability to affect intergenerational health outcomes.
Improving our built environment, for example, will lead to improved mental health outcomes. A decrease in air pollution can ease chronic lung conditions. More active transport improves heart health and, when combined with improved local food production, leads to healthier weights and overcomes the likelihood of diabetes.
Going to the issue of housing, the government must broaden its understanding of what housing affordability means and recognise that the running costs of a house, with aspects such as utilities bills, are a part of how affordable a house is. These are, of course, issues that I addressed in my motion yesterday in the chamber.
Building standards must improve, not just for the sake of limiting greenhouse gas emissions but also to assist households with managing the cost of living. If energy and water bills increase, so too will the pressure on low income households to choose between paying the bills or buying food.
The government’s community service obligation must continue to increase in line with the increase in bills. It was disappointing to see recently that ActewAGL had put more resources into turning off people’s electricity rather than working with them to reduce their energy use. The number of disconnections this year has approximately doubled from the year previously. I would encourage Actew to put more focus on preventing disconnection through its stay connected program.
I also note that those people living in Housing ACT properties make up the bulk of ActewAGL clients that are having difficulty in paying their bills. This says much about not just the poverty level but also the types of houses they are living in and their ability to heat or cool them.
Having a 40 per cent target is an opportunity to make the houses we live in, particularly for those on lower incomes, more efficient and therefore more comfortable and affordable for the long term. I would encourage the government to
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video