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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-03-28 Daily Xml
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Housing Trust Properties

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:09): My question is to the minister—

Members interjecting:

Ms BEDFORD: High-vis.

Members interjecting:

Ms BEDFORD: Protection, sir—just for in here I mean. My question is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development. Can the minister update the house on the number of solar photovoltaic panels installed on public housing to date and provide an update on the government's public housing build?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:09): While there is a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm about the government's energy plan, including the installation of a 100-megawatt battery storage facility, there are of course other ongoing ways in which the government is supporting the renewable energy industry here in South Australia. Members would be aware that this government has committed to a pilot program involving South Australian Housing Trust homes to install 400 solar energy systems on public housing properties throughout both metropolitan and regional areas of South Australia.

This program has been organised through Renewal SA, and three local companies have won the tender to install these solar energy systems. They are: Cool or Cosy, based in Torrensville; Suntrix, based in Newton; and ZEN Energy, based in Tonsley. All three businesses are continuing their installations in Adelaide and, after that phase of the project is complete, we look forward to announcing where the next lot of installations will occur.

Systems will be installed in homes, as I said, in both metropolitan and regional areas, with more than 40 suburbs and regional towns being targeted to receive the systems on public housing. I can inform the house that, as of the end of last week, more than 100 solar energy systems have been fully installed and that the program is on track to meet its scheduled completion date by the end of this year.

Mr Speaker, 1.5-kilowatt and three-kilowatt systems are being installed and are tailored to suit the conditions of the home as well as the tenant. They are looking at installation parameters including, for example, light and shade and the energy usage and habits of the tenants. This program has been funded through the $65 million public housing package announced as part of the 2015-16 budget.

As the Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs program, also being superintended by Renewal SA, continues to supply new housing stock and new homes, we are continuing to build the 1000 Homes in 1000 Days program as well. More homes are being built to better suit the modern needs of tenants in particular, including being more energy efficient and cheaper to run for those tenants living in those homes. They are certainly cheaper to run than the homes that they replace. With the addition of this solar energy pilot program, more homes can be considered for these energy systems in the future.

The benefits of this program are many. Public Housing Trust tenants receive the benefits of reduced electricity bills. The solar energy companies involved in installing the PV systems are able to expand their businesses and, through this program, they are collectively employing an extra 75 people to do this work. Of course, with more renewable energy being generated and used in these houses, there are environmental benefits as well.

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting a recipient of one of these solar energy systems in North Adelaide. The tenant, Bryan, had said to me that he had been thinking about whether a solar system would be within his reach but, alas, to date it hadn't been. With the solar energy system now installed on his property, he is saving money off his energy bill, and he is using that money to contribute towards further studies. This is just one example of how this program is helping public Housing Trust tenants by reducing the cost of living. It's supporting the renewable energy industry here in South Australia and it's supporting jobs in the South Australian economy.

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