14 March 2012

Renters to pay for more home owners' improvements?

| johnboy
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Simon Corbell has announced his plans to force ActewAGL to provide energy efficiency upgrades to homes:

The ACT Labor Government will introduce new laws next week that will deliver energy efficiency savings to up to 70,000 Canberra households, cutting energy bills by up to $300, per annum, by 2015, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, announced today.

The Energy Efficiency (Cost of Living) Improvement Bill 2012 will require Electricity Retailers to provide households with subsidised or free energy efficiency upgrades to their homes, helping to reduce cost of living pressures on household budgets and reducing carbon emissions in the ACT.

“This legislation will benefit approximately 70,000 households in the ACT, requiring electricity retailers, like ActewAGL, to provide free or subsidised services to households to boost the energy efficiency of their homes, and to provide ongoing energy bill savings of up to $300, per annum, by 2015,” Mr Corbell said.

Further, bill savings of more than $2,000 are expected for households over the life time of implemented energy efficiency measures.

Some of the energy efficiency measures that will be made available to households under the legislation include the installation of draught sealing and insulation as well as replacing inefficient heaters, air conditioners and hot water systems.

“The new laws also require a minimum of 25% of all households assisted to be low income households, providing further support to the most vulnerable people in our community,” Mr Corbell said.

ActewAGL not being a charitable institution it’s hard not to see the effect of this being all electricity customers (which does include renters) paying for those who can undertake modifications to their homes (which does not include renters).

But hey, working families right?

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I see Simon Corbell today is still talking cheaper electricity –
“Corbell moves to ‘lower energy prices’ ”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-10/act-energy-laws-to-increase-competition/4002324?section=act
Yet we know there are so many forces driving costs higher – how can he make these claims?

affordable said :

April fools day ( hope ) otherwise pink batts all over again

I wonder what you mean by this. I take it you think the Home Insulation Program was a disaster, perhaps? And that this might mean getting utilities to offer efficiency services will also be a disaster, because (something, something)?

I often wonder if people referring to ‘pink batts’ know anything about the actual performance of the program (beyond the media coverage).

They could read some of the better commentary, or the CSIRO review, perhaps: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2011/04/24/the-csiro-gets-hip-to-debunking-media-hysteria/

April fools day ( hope ) otherwise pink batts all over again

Where does it say this won’t be available to renters? Directly or indirectly? Not sure why you would exclude houses that are rented out from a scheme like this. Lots of overseas examples of these programs, including weatherisation initiatives in the US, cover rented and owned properties.

Great , another Guvvy Ponzi scheme.

ThrowawayAccount said :

So how do we get back to the stage where we can abolish self government and have some half competent people running this place? I’m sick of these “politicians” trying to make themselves seem important and making the rest of us suffer…

Well, you could start your own political party, but the current trend around the world (Libya, Syria, Burma, etc.) is a move towards self government, not backwards away from democracy. But, why not try to gain support for your rule by bureaucrat idea, and see how much support you attract.

ThrowawayAccount6:38 pm 14 Mar 12

So how do we get back to the stage where we can abolish self government and have some half competent people running this place? I’m sick of these “politicians” trying to make themselves seem important and making the rest of us suffer…

The people voted for this s***/government – this is democracy at work – suck it up

bitzermaloney1:14 pm 14 Mar 12

PantsMan said :

Solar Feed-in Tariff Mark II.

FFS! When are we going to get rid of this stupid f*^%ing, so called, government?

Beware what you wish for. Last time we tried to get rid of the grubbyment/shire council, we ended up with a bunch of indifferent left wing pollies that were struggling to find their way out of the ANU Student Association.

Solar Feed-in Tariff Mark II.

FFS! When are we going to get rid of this stupid f*^%ing, so called, government?

Nothing like an election year to bring out the bribes. Amazingly, voters keep falling for it.

If you’re a renter, no way you should sign up to a lease without finding out how much the utilities cost previously. You need to make an assessment before you commit – eg “large garden” = “i’m going to be a slave to this frigging thing” etc.

Same for buying a home.

Great negotiating tactic if noone else wants the place.

This is the 2012 version of the solar feed in, were we pay more to cover a select few. Simon, stop making yourself look busy.

I lived in a rental where the gas and electricity prices were astronomical. Our collective gas and elec bills over the quarter must have averaged about $900 – $1200 and we were being frugal; never home during the day, only put the gas heating on for a few hours a night and never left them on over night. The house had no insulation (though I don’t remember it being draughty) .. so I don’t know where it was going.

It was an issue neither the rental agent nor the owner gave a toss about. If there is an incentive for owners to improve the energy efficency of their homes then maybe it’s a good thing – sad that most property inverstors don’t actually care about their other propoerties nor their tenants so long as they keep paying their ever increasing rents.

actew support many Canberra events and charities I am led to believe.. but I do seem to pay them alot of money… lol
I’m surprised that actew isn’t pushing harder for electric vehicles as it would only mean more money for them too…

Relax, komrade.

This seems about as logical as telling petrol companies they need to make people have more efficient cars, or telling gambling providers to encourage people to gamble less…

Caractacus Potts9:53 am 14 Mar 12

But johnboy, Corbell says it’s free! So no need to worry.

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