Page 5012 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011
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constraints are addressed. But the overall policy settings need to ensure that there is not heavy-handed government intervention, that we are not seeking to have command economy style interventions of the sorts that Mr Smyth—and I know he is very tender about this because it is most unusual for a shadow treasurer—
Mr Smyth: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Just one moment, Mr Barr. Stop the clock.
Mr Smyth: Point of order. It was a very simple question: will his policies lead towards equilibrium in the market? He has not mentioned equilibrium in the first half of his allotted time. Perhaps he might do it in the second half or sit down if he does not understand the concept of equilibrium.
MR SPEAKER: Minister Barr, could you try to focus on Mr Smyth’s question.
MR BARR: I do find it amusing to get a lecture on economics from the shadow treasurer, who would be the least qualified and worst person—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Barr, come to the question or sit down.
MR BARR: I was referring to the interaction between supply and demand. Where there are supply-side constraints, as I indicated, the ACT government will seek to intervene. Ensuring that our broader macroeconomic policy settings enable business growth, business investment and ensuring that there is not unnecessary government intervention are the important point that needs to be made here.
That where there is a clear contrast between the approach put forward by the shadow treasurer and the approach put forward by the government. The government are not interested in micromanaging individual businesses. We are not interested in developing umpteen industry plans. What we are interested in are the broad policy settings. (Time expired.)
Energy—solar
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development and is in relation to the installation of solar electric systems in the ACT. Minister, in recent weeks there have been many complaints about the delays for residents who are waiting for up to five months for ACTPLA to assess their solar installations so that they can be connected to the grid and start feeding in renewable electricity. What are the main reasons that installations have failed these safety inspections, and what action is required to remedy these failures?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Le Couteur for the question. The circumstances in the ACT are that we obviously have a 100 per cent mandatory double inspection for all PV installations here in the territory, and that is a good thing because it ensures safety in terms of both electrical safety to prevent risks of electrocution but also to prevent to the greatest extent possible the risk of fire in a premises from the inappropriate installation of a PV system.
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