2023-03-06
The Greens are calling for urgent action to address the impacts of extreme heat on renters and in our classrooms.
Responding to the sweltering temperatures today in Sydney, Greens Climate Change Spokesperson Jenny Leong MP said:
“With the temperature soaring today to 38 degrees students in unairconditioned classrooms as well as people living in hot-box rental accommodation will be suffering.
“Extreme heat is a serious issue that is having a disproportionate and dangerous impact on renters and students - and it is high time the government stepped in to offer much needed relief.
“The cost of living crisis and the extreme weather impacts create a highly stressful and incredibly dangerous situation for many who know that their home is exceeding safe heat levels but who also know that they can’t afford to keep the cooling on.
“Parents shouldn’t have to drive their children around in their cars to keep them cool enough to get to sleep - and older people shouldn’t be forced to spend long days in shopping centres in an attempt to avoid the heat.
“The Greens are committed to implementing minimum energy efficiency standards for all rental homes by 2025 and establishing programs and subsidies to ensure renters are able to access solar.
“We have a plan to introduce measures to reduce urban heat impacts on schools, ensure adequate air conditioning and heating in all classrooms and expand school solar programs and transition schools to 100% renewable energy.
“We have heard the calls from over 700 people, many organisations and housing, environment and energy advocates at the Sydney Alliance Assembly and the experts at the recent ‘Beat the Heat’ health and heat forum – we need to take action to address the real impact heat is having on people’s lives.
“The Greens know that extreme heat is a silent killer and that the impacts are felt disproportionately by those who are already vulnerable, marginalised or facing economic insecurity,” Jenny said.
Background:
In the last weeks we have seen community meetings attended by hundreds of people in Western Sydney focused on heat. Over 700 people attended the community assembly organised by the Sydney Alliance with urgent calls being made for minimum mandatory energy efficiency standards for renters as well as addressing heat impacts on learning in classrooms. Also in Westmead, the Western Sydney Health and Heat Forum focused on heat as the silent killer in our communities.
The Greens hosted a Healthy Homes for Renters Parliamentary briefing with Better Renting, Sweltering Cities, and the Tenants Union of NSW in the NSW Parliament in October 2022, calling for energy efficiency standards in rental homes.
The NSW Greens’ Sustainable Schools plan, includes a commitment to:
- Introduce measures to reduce urban heat impacts on schools.
- Ensure adequate air conditioning and heating in all classrooms.
- Expand school solar programs and transition schools to 100% renewable energy
Read the full plan: https://greens.org.au/nsw/news/media-release/greens-announce-sustainable-schools-plan-teachers-federation-climate-and
The NSW Greens Plan to Slash Energy Prices, includes a commitment to:
- Oblige landlords to install energy efficiency measures. By 1 July 2028, all rental properties must meet minimum energy efficiency standards (including adequate insulation, draught proofing, double glazing etc). Retrofitting to meet these standards will also be required before 1 July 2028 whenever a tenanted property is sold, a new tenancy agreement is signed or a major renovation over the value of $50,000 is undertaken.
- Interest-free loans for landlords to comply with minimum energy efficiency standards. Loans would be offered, subject to eligibility criteria and ensuring that there is no financial impact on low-income tenants, to non-commercial landlords until 1 July 2025.
- Interest-free loans for owner-occupiers of property to improve energy efficiency. Loans would be offered to owner-occupiers of properties with an improved land value of no more than $1.5m to, for example, install insulation or double-glazing.
Read the full plan: https://greens.org.au/nsw/plantoslashenergyprices
The NSW Greens Housing policy platform includes a commitment to:
- Introduce better minimum standards in rental accommodation including making it mould and damp-free, with ceiling insulation, heating, roof venting and waterproofing with compulsory energy efficiency standards, and internet access.
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