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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3859 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

I am pleased to report today on action the government has taken in response to the Assembly's motion of 30 August 2000 on air pollution caused by wood heating.

First, the government has been called on to review the ACT's existing air pollution monitoring system to ensure that it is adequate for the detection of concentrations of particles down to 2.5 micrometres in diameter, or PM_2.5, across Canberra on a continuous basis. The ACT monitors air quality as agreed under the ambient air quality national environment protection measure, except for sulfur dioxide, as there is no significant emission source for this pollutant in the ACT. In the absence of the Australian standard for continuous monitoring of PM_2.5, the government will continue to participate in the national process to develop improvements in ambient air quality monitoring.

Second, the government has been called on to initiate an air pollution warning system to request households with wood heating to use alternate forms of heating where practicable on days of high air pollution. This is similar to the Don't Light Tonight program run by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority. Owing to climatic and topographic differences, alternate criteria for issuing warnings in the ACT are being developed. The government response proposes to implement an air pollution warning system based on the expectation that overnight inversion layers can be forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology. The inversion layer is the key factor in limiting smoke dispersal.

Third, Mr Deputy Speaker, the government has been called on to investigate measures that the ACT could adopt to assist low - income households relying on wood heating to install less polluting heating systems. A concern with this proposal is that the conversion of firewood heaters to less polluting heating systems has social justice implications for those low - income households, who may face a higher recurrent cost for using natural gas or electricity following conversion.

The government has in place several initiatives aimed at reducing household space - heating requirements. These include the public housing retro fit program, which will improve the energy efficiency of a proportion of ACT Housing's detached housing stock, and the Energy Advisory Service. These initiatives have the potential to reduce the amount of firewood used in the ACT.

As well, the ACT firewood strategy will continue to be promoted. Elements of this strategy include community education on best practice firewood selection and operation of firewood heaters. I propose that the government investigate a scheme to assist low - income households to convert from firewood heaters to less polluting heating systems. In parallel, the government will continue to promote energy efficiency, best practice firewood selection and efficient heater operation.

The Assembly also passed legislation to regulate the commercial sale of firewood and to license firewood vendors. Work is under way to develop the operational details of this legislation so it can be in place well before the next winter. Definitional issues are also being resolved in consultation with the Government Solicitor's Office. The point in the

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