Social housing, rental policy, energy policy, building construction, planning policy and strata title regulation are spread across numerous government agencies. This has led to slow, fragmented progress on transformation of Victorian housing to cope with changing social, economic and environmental circumstances.
The Association for Energy and Environmental Equity (AE3) calls for creation of a State Government Ministerial Council to focus the fragmented elements of housing and energy policy on an integrated transition of Victorian housing to a social, environmental and economically sustainable future.
In recent years, many worthwhile pilot projects have been implemented, and new policies implemented. But many Victorians still live in homes that perform little better than tents. Many suffer from the cold, while increasing numbers die in more intense heat. Higher energy bills add to stress. The lessons from previous projects are not being applied widely.
Extreme heat overloads health care services. High cooling loads increase the risk of power failures that disrupt lives and business activity.
We need a coordinated approach to upgrade existing homes, ensure new homes can cope with an increasingly extreme climate, and to reduce overall costs of delivering quality living environments.
So the Association for Energy and Environmental Equity calls for:
- Establishment of a Ministerial council involving all Ministers with housing-related responsibilities, to work together and lead
- A well-resourced project team to build a shared understanding of what is being done, what needs to be done, and the benefits of action
- A cross-disciplinary research and development group to improve our understanding of technical, social and policy measures to guide us towards upgrading existing homes and building new ones that will cope with changing climate over coming decades, and take advantage of technology and innovation developments
- A formal process to engage with and resource all stakeholders, to build a shared vision of the challenges and frame practical paths forward based on evidence, broad economic analysis, and overcoming differences
- Development of programs, policies and strategies to trial and implement action.
Who is the Association for Energy and Environmental Equity?
AE3 is an NGO formed in 2017 to advocate for integrated transition towards equitable, low carbon, affordable and sustainable housing. Its members have backgrounds in energy, local government, carbon and energy certificate trading, business and community action.
CONTACTS for media inquiries: Ric Brazzale (President) tel 0419 522 659 …… and Alan Pears (Board member) tel 03 9592 8581, email alanpears@iinet.net.au
Association for Energy and Environmental equity 