The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY ROADSHOW STARTS IN WA TODAY
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, will meet Energy Minister Peter Collier in Perth today to discuss how both levels of government can help households in Western Australia save money on their energy bills.
According to figures from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Western Australian households produce about 4.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions through electricity consumption each year.
By switching to more energy efficient appliances, households can save considerable money on their energy bills, and we want to make that switch as easy as possible, Mr Dreyfus said.
For example, switching from a one star to a seven star television could save households around $1000 over the ten-year life of the television.
The Australian Government is working with the States and Territories to develop legislation for national greenhouse and energy minimum standards for appliances, and nationally-consistent energy labelling. The changes would make it easier for shoppers to identify which appliances would lead to the biggest savings on electricity bills.
Today's meeting in Perth is the first in a series between Mr Dreyfus and Energy Ministers across the country, as they work co-operatively with the Federal Government to develop the new legislation, which it is anticipated will be in place by the end of this year.
We understand the need for all levels of government to work together to reduce Australia's carbon pollution, increase our energy efficiency and assist Australia's transition to a clean energy future, Mr Dreyfus said.
As a part of his Western Australian visit, Mr Dreyfus will also today visit Curtin University's Biomass Gasification project, where he will be briefed on the development of the new technology. The Federal Government has provided $2.4 million in funding towards the project, which is now in the final stages of development.
This award-winning project is an example of where Western Australia is leading the world in the development of renewable energy technologies, Mr Dreyfus said.
The Australian Government is also today encouraging people who are concerned about their own carbon footprint to look at the LivingGreener website www.livinggreener.gov.au which has detailed information on how they can be more energy efficient at home.
Households looking to purchase new appliances can also visit the energy rating website www.energyrating.gov.au to compare the energy efficiency of a number of household appliances.
THURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2011
