Page 2525 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 2013
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centre, $1½ million again to Education for LED lighting upgrades at 10 government schools, and $178,000 for the conversion of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s premises at Dickson to reduce electricity use by over 30 per cent.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, how does the energy efficiency improvement scheme contribute to the government’s overall plan to reduce the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2020?
MR CORBELL: Energy efficiency will make a very important contribution to achieving our greenhouse gas reduction targets. And I thank Ms Porter for her supplementary question. The government has a clear pathway set out in action plan 2 for the achievement of our greenhouse gas reduction strategy. In particular, the use of energy efficiency is a major component of AP2.
One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways for the territory to reduce its emissions and reduce ongoing exposure to rising electricity and gas prices is to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy use. And that is exactly where the energy efficiency improvement scheme comes in. We expect, over the life of the scheme, to achieve millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas abatement as a result of this scheme. And that is going to directly contribute to our capacity to meet our greenhouse reduction targets.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what measures are being employed to monitor the reduction of costs that households are experiencing on their electricity bills?
MR CORBELL: The savings anticipated were outlined in the regulatory impact statement released with the introduction of the scheme. The estimated saving per household is in the order of approximately $300 off the average household bill over that three-year period of the scheme. That is a very significant saving to households.
The government now as part of its audit and compliance program in relation to the scheme will be looking at how measures are being installed into households and seeking further information from the retailers as to what impact that is having on electricity bills so as to verify the outcomes that we are anticipating.
We know, based on the modelling to date and based on the experience of other large jurisdictions such as Victoria and South Australia, that these savings are demonstrable and achievable and are occurring on the ground. That is good news for Canberra households. Saving money on their electricity bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a win-win scenario and I encourage the Liberal opposition to reconsider their opposition to this scheme.
Ms Gallagher: Madam Speaker, I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
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