Page 2571 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 1 August 2018
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The other thing I should mention is that a lot of the relevant technology has come down in price. Ten years ago there were very few double-glazed windows for sale in Australia, even including Canberra. Now, while I cannot say it is a standard part of a new house, it is no longer totally extraordinary. There are quite a few units which are being advertised with double glazing—
Mr Wall: They are not properly double-glazed. They are not gas-filled argon panels. They are not highly efficient.
MS LE COUTEUR: I appreciate, Mr Wall, that they are at the bottom of the double-glazed, not the top, but 10 years ago we did not even have poor quality double glazing readily available. It was very much a niche market. All I am saying is that the technology for better houses has improved over the last 10 years. So there probably is a very real case for a movement from six stars up to seven stars for our minimum energy efficiency, because of all these changes.
In conclusion, I very much thank Ms Orr for bringing forward this motion, because it is really great to have support from the ALP, and hopefully soon to be support from the Liberal Party, for something that the Greens have been fighting for for ages.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (5.33): I will do my best to speak to this topic, given that it is not my portfolio area. It is Mr Parton’s but, as many members know, he has a commitment on a Wednesday evening that he has to attend. I do share a number of the concerns that Ms Le Couteur and Ms Orr briefly touched on. But I will probably struggle to match the enthusiasm of Ms Le Couteur on the energy efficiency rating scheme. I will give it my best shot.
There are a number of issues that have long existed with the scheme, some of which have been touched on by the members who have already spoken, and that have been widely reported in the media. A Canberra Times article from 25 March this year—sorry, that is the wrong article. On 17 June this year an article highlighted the—I have my paperwork around the wrong way today. This is what happens when you do something at the last minute.
Ms Orr: Don’t worry; I read the wrong speech.
MR WALL: It is that end of the day. The issues that exist with the energy efficiency rating scheme are not new. There have long been a number of concerns around the efficiency rating tool used for new homes, the efficiency standard that has been rightly put as part of the Building Code of Australia—in the nationally compliant code—and that that is used to rate rental properties, established properties and properties that have previously been occupied, even if they are just a couple of months old.
A rating for a new home of perhaps five, six or seven stars does not necessarily translate when the owner then goes to resell it. There is a significant concern. Often at that point in time it is the vendor who is concerned that they have spent a lot of money and invested in a highly energy efficient home only to see the number of stars, when
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