Sustainability Initiatives

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

166. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Housing and Works:

On Earth Day, I refer to current sustainability initiatives in Western Australian housing, and ask —

(1) Can the minister describe all state government rebates and incentives currently available in residential housing for —

(a) energy efficiency initiatives; and

(b) water efficiency?

(3) Has the minister announced a one-year delay of the mandatory six-star energy efficiency provisions in the revised building code of Australia 2010 for all new residential buildings; and can the minister also confirm that there will also be a soft lead-in in 2011, which means the revised provisions will not be introduced until the middle of 2012?

(4) Would the minister support the introduction of local laws by interested local governments who would like to take earlier action to introduce the six-star provisions?

(5) Is the minister aware of any other states and territories that are delaying the Council of Australian Governments–led initiative, which is due to commence on 1 May?

The PRESIDENT: That is quite a detailed question.

Hon HELEN MORTON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) Neither the Department of Commerce nor the Department of Housing has responsibility for these initiatives. This question should be directed to the Ministers for Energy and Water respectively.

(2) Subject to cabinet approval, the state government, as a signatory to the Council of Australian Governments national strategy on energy efficiency, will introduce a mandatory disclosure scheme that will require all house sellers to provide energy assessment ratings to potential buyers. This scheme will deliver a market mechanism to drive energy efficiency improvements in the existing housing stock in Western Australia.

(3) The introduction of the six-star energy efficiency provisions will occur in Western Australia on 1 May 2011, in line with the requirement set out in the national strategy on energy efficiency. As with any introduction of new regulations in the building codes, there is a one-year transition available under the state’s building regulations.

(4) The state of Western Australia is a signatory to the intergovernmental agreement that supports nationally consistent regulation in the area of building codes. This does not allow local governments to introduce local laws to override state or national building standards.

(5) Other states are introducing the six-star provisions in line with their state’s specific needs.