Page 2721 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 September 2014
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of these highlights include new objects for the Gas Safety Act, which has previously not had them. There are also a number of offence clauses, which are updated, and offences are clarified and made consistent with the Criminal Code.
The bill also revises the product approvals process. It clarifies which type of appliance is being referred to. The two types of gas appliances that require approval are type A, which are generally mass-produced products, which are generally approved under a national system of standards and certification, and type B, which are not covered by product-specific standards. Often these are custom built or larger scale or industrial appliances. The process for the approval of type B appliances is clarified and, although unlikely to occur often in the ACT, may be occasionally required.
The bill also takes the opportunity to ensure that energy efficiency standards are complied with in gas appliances. Currently there are provisions that require a certain level of energy efficiency to be met under specific circumstances that are triggered under the building code or the plumbing code, but the amendments to the Gas Safety Act will allow energy efficiency standards to be applied for gas installations and appliances that are not installed as part of building or plumbing work.
The new provisions in the bill are to allow regulations to promote the efficient use or conservation of power and energy or limit harm to the environment rather than purely for a safety outcome. The bill requires that the products are labelled with energy efficiency information and that the product actually meets the standard that the product is labelled as. Offence provisions are laid out for not meeting these requirements. This amendment is consistent with the commonwealth government’s Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012, which regulates for the supply of products rather than the installation.
This bill streamlines and updates the provisions for gas accredited workers and for gas safety in the territory. As such, it is an important bill to ensure that the regulation of this sector is kept up to date and all provisions are clearly laid out for those working in the sector. I am happy to support the bill today.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Capital Metro) (11.57), in reply: I thank members for their support of this bill. The bill recognises the importance of effective standards for safety and public protection associated with the use of gas products.
The bill is a good example of regulatory reform principles the government has committed to to ensure that it removes regulations that are no longer required, rationalises legislation covering regulation of occupations in the construction sector, streamlines the existing framework for product safety approvals, ensures the regulatory framework allows for important community objectives such as the efficient use of resources, and modernises the legislation to make it easier to use and understand.
Importantly, the bill does this without removing protections that are in place to ensure that fundamental safety standards are met. The relocation of gas appliance work
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