The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
GOVERNMENT DELIVERING ON NATIONAL ENERGY STANDARDS FOR APPLIANCES
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change Mark Dreyfus says he's pleased that the Greens have announced their support for energy efficiency, including energy performance standards for appliances.
Mr Dreyfus says the Government is already well down the path of delivering nationally-consistent regulation of performance standards following agreement from all states and territories in July 2009.
I'm glad to see that the Greens are supportive of this significant national reform, which we announced some two years ago, Mr Dreyfus said.
Mr Dreyfus said that national energy appliance standards, which are administered by state and territory governments, will help households save money on their electricity bills and reduce business costs by eliminating the different requirements that currently apply from state to state.
The Government has already consulted extensively through a regulatory impact assessment released in June 2010, which found substantial benefits of a national approach to appliance standards and energy labelling.
The assessment found that Australians would save a projected 32,000 gigawatt hours, and over $5 billion, per annum by 2020.
Mr Dreyfus said that significant work has already been achieved in developing a national framework, and he will be meeting with state and territory ministers over coming months to negotiate a national legislative approach.
Improving the energy efficiency of the appliances used in homes is a great way of saving households money and I look forward to working with the state and territory governments to deliver this important national reform, Mr Dreyfus said.
TUESDAY, 8 MARCH 2011
