Housing Trust Properties

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:21): My question is to the Minister for Social Housing. What progress has been undertaken by the state government to reduce energy costs for Housing SA tenants?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:22): I thank the member for Torrens. Housing SA properties are allocated to customers based on their demonstrated needs and are prioritised to those people and families who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. These are people who are particularly vulnerable to cost of living pressures. The state government is aware of this and is committed to improving the lives of our most disadvantaged citizens.

Previous studies have shown that hot-water accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the total energy use in public housing dwellings. Further to this, the replacement of electric hot-water systems with solar hot-water systems has been found to reduce total household electricity use by approximately 30 per cent and, in turn, also reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately two tonnes per annum.

With a view to extending the benefits of lower utility costs to people living in social housing, the state government has replaced 1,000 LPG gas and electric hot-water systems on larger family homes with solar hot-water systems. This assists tenants to reduce their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions and, importantly, will provide a means of reducing the cost of living. Tenants also have the opportunity to install solar panels on the roof of their rental property should they wish to pay for it themselves. Housing SA provides a deed of agreement between all parties involved in the process so that tenants can help themselves to save on energy costs.

There are more than 300 Housing SA tenancies that have taken advantage of this arrangement. This is not an arrangement to which those in the private rental market currently have access and can provide significant cost of living savings to those with the capital for the installation of their own solar panels. Housing SA also teams up with providers and support agencies to conduct energy audits of their properties to ensure that existing tenants can maximise the energy efficiency of their properties. This was an election commitment made by the state government during the 2014 election campaign, and I am delighted to stand before members today to confirm that this promise has been delivered.

Like the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, I had the opportunity to visit a tenant who had this solar hot-water system installed. She had twin boys in their teenage years and obviously had to use extra hot water as they were growing up, and she was very pleased to be able to access this new system. We continue to support our Housing SA tenants and looking at how we can help them with affordable living.