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| Sandra Kanck Deputy Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
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Legislative
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| Sandra Kanck Deputy Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Parliament Index |
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The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: This bill is essentially a refurbishing of the Electrical Products Act (which was originally passed in 1998) to bring it into line with changes in the electricity industry and consumer expectations.
The Hon. T.G. Roberts: Privatising.
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I think this is an upshot of privatisation in many ways. As vocal advocates of the consumers' right to know, we wholeheartedly support the labelling provisions in this bill. The creation of offences for misleading labels will help ensure the efficacy of the labelling provisions. We are particularly pleased to see that the bill requires minimum energy performance standards to be introduced for electrical products sold in South Australia. It will allow consumers to make a more informed decision when making a major white goods purchase. In being able to make such an informed decision, the possibility is created of some small reductions in this state's increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Democrats believe that, in the longer term, products with an efficiency of less than three stars should not be sold. I realise that at the present time the white goods industry would not be at all prepared for that, but in the longer term it is something that it ought to be aware of and made accountable for.
The empowerment of the technical regulator to prohibit the sale of dangerous electrical products is sensible, and the provision for repair, replacement or refund of items that have fallen into this category is a just move. With the corporatisation and privatisation of ETSA during the 1990s, various administrative powers previously exercised by the trust were transferred to the minister, and it is now appropriate that these powers are conferred on the technical regulator. The incorporation of administrative reporting, enforcement and evidentiary provisions similar to other pieces of legislation is another positive benefit from the updating of this legislation and I indicate that the Democrats will be supporting it.
The Hon. T.G. ROBERTS secured the adjournment of the debate
