Page 2037 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994
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MR LAMONT: I will come back to the question of tenants of flats. I have already covered the stand-alone units. In relation to the private rental market, Mr Kaine, I believe that it is an obligation on landlords to pass on the reduction in that fixed cost. If there was a way in which I could require them to do it, Mr Moore, I would do it. On the advice provided to me, to meter every unit within blocks of Housing Trust flats would be extremely expensive and would negate any cost advantage.
Substantial refurbishments occur from time to time, both in the Housing Trust area and in the private market, in unit construction and unit reorganisation. We are looking at ways in which we can individually meter units when that sort of activity occurs. We have also given an undertaking to have newly constructed flats individually metered. I believe that that is a responsible way for us to have responded to that issue.
Mr Moore: Who pays?
MR LAMONT: Mr Moore glibly says, "Who pays?". Mr Moore, the question is: Who saves? That is what it really means. What it means, Mr Moore, on any assessment - whether by ACTCOSS, by the Conservation Council, by ACTEW, or even by an independent expert I could dream up from somewhere - is that unless we have substantial water conservation here in the Territory we will be required to start funding a new dam for the Territory within the next four or five years.
What we are looking at now is a water pricing regime and a continuing strategy which will stop the impost on every single household in Canberra of additional rates in the order of $200 a year. That is the sort of thing we are trying to stop. Mr Moore, when you go out today with your press release, it should be headed "Moore Demands Households Pay More: More by Moore". That is what the headline should be. Madam Speaker, I believe that it is an appropriate regime we have implemented, and for Mr Moore to do as he is doing to disallow this determination is socially irresponsible.
MR DE DOMENICO (11.19): Madam Speaker, it has been very interesting sitting here in silence. I hope that you noticed that there were very few interjections from me. I do not know whether I am learning or whether I am getting weaker; but I did, on purpose, sit and listen very intently to what was said by Mr Moore, Ms Szuty and Mr Lamont, and I can honestly say that I am still singularly unconvinced by any of the three. I think a lot of what Mr Moore said makes a lot of sense. He said that water is a renewable resource. Like Mr Moore, I did a little bit of homework, but probably not as much as Mr Moore did. I have spoken to the NCDC as well and to other people, and I am aware that - - -
Mr Wood: It does not exist any more.
MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Wood interjects - it is good to see you back, Mr Wood - that the appropriate people are the National Capital Planning Authority - - -
Mr Wood: The NCPA.
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