Tell your politician that Energy Efficiency Matters!
The Queensland election will take place on Saturday 26th October 2024. 33.1% of Queenslanders rent their homes (that’s almost a third of the population). Your vote matters. Tell the political candidates and their reps that we need energy efficiency minimum standards.
In the leadup to the election, many of the political parties and independents are door-knocking and calling up voters. They want to tell you about the policies they plan to put in place if their party wins the Queensland Election and how this will benefit you. They hope to convince you to vote for them. Now is the time to talk to them about the issues that matter to you!
If you’re a renter and have been struggling not only with rent increases but with living in a home that is poorly maintained and gets excruciatingly hot in summer and then feels like living a tent in winter, we would like you tell the politicians all about it. The more our politicians (from all of the parties) know this is something that we care about, the more likely they are to change policies and legislation to ensure we can all live in an affordable, healthy, safe and comfortable home. Tell the political candidates and their reps that we not only need some limits to the amount that rents can be raised each year, but we also need minimum standards for energy efficiency (like they already have in Victoria and the ACT!).
We need all Queensland MPs to understand the importance of energy efficiency minimum standards, and the role good quality housing plays in affordability and climate resilience
Whichever political party wins the most seats will end up governing the state. Political candidates have been particularly active those in those seats where winning might mean the difference between their party or another getting into power, or where they have previously won or lost by a small margin (so-called “swing” electorates, or marginal seats). If you’re in one of these electorates, your voice has even more power.
Both housing and energy are essential services.
Everybody deserves an affordable, healthy and safe home, regardless of whether you rent or own, what your income level is, where you live, how big your family, what your nationality or culture is, or if you live with a disability.
Just because you rent shouldn’t mean you miss out on living in a healthy and affordable home, with a good energy efficiency standard. Queensland is lagging behind other states (and indeed the world) in action on energy efficiency and that’s why Energetic Communities is leading a Queensland specific campaign.
Energy Efficiency Minimum Standards – why are they important?
Energy efficiency affects your home being cool in summer and warm in
winter. Minimum standards could include features like insulation, shading, draught management and effective cooling appliances if need be. Energy efficiency not only helps you save on your power bills, but has been shown to positively impact your mental and physical health.
We already have standards for new homes of 7-star Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) rating, but the average rating for existing homes is only 1.7 stars, meaning for many people, it’s actually dangerous to stay at home during a heatwave. We need the Government to introduce policies to help improve the energy efficiency of existing homes.