LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Conference Report 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees of Australian Parliaments 2008 Report No. 54/02 – September 2008 New South Wales Parliamentary Library cataloguing-in-publication data: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Report on Conference attendance : 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees of Australian Parliaments, 2008 / NSW Parliament, Legislative Assembly, Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change). [Sydney, N.S.W.] : the Committee, 2008. – 96, iv p. ; 30 cm. (Report / Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) ; no. 54/02) “September 2008”. Chair: Karyn Paluzzano, David Borger. ISBN 9781921012808 1. Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees of Australian Parliaments (13th : 2008 : Sydney, N.S.W.) 2. Conservation of natural resources—Australia—Congresses. 3. Environmental policy— Australia—Congresses. I. Title. II. Paluzzano, Karyn. III. Borger, David. IV. Series: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Standing Committee on Natural Resources Management (Climate Change). Report ; no. 54/02 333.72 (DDC 22) Report on 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees 2008 Table of contents Membership and staff .......................................................................................ii Terms of reference .......................................................................................... iii Foreword..........................................................................................................iv INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................1 DAY 1 WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2008...............................................................2 Conference Opening.........................................................................................2 Session One – SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE........................2 Session Two – JURISDICTIONAL COMMITTEE REPORTS ..........................3 Session Three – IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS......................................................................................7 DAY 2 THURSDAY 24 JULY 2008................................................................10 Morning – VISIT TO PENRITH.......................................................................10 Afternoon – VISIT TO BLUE MOUNTAINS....................................................11 DAY 3 FRIDAY 25 JULY 2008 ......................................................................12 Session Four – THE ENERGY CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ......12 Session Five – SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE ............................................13 APPENDIX ONE – TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS ................................15 Wednesday 23 July 2008 ...............................................................................15 Session A—Sustainable Public Infrastructure................................................18 Session B—Jurisdictional Committee Reports...............................................35 Session D—Improving Energy Efficiency in Public and Private Buildings .....47 Friday 25 July 2008 ........................................................................................69 Session F—The Energy Challenges of Climate Change ...............................69 Conference Conclusion ..................................................................................86 APPENDIX TWO – LIST OF DELEGATES ...................................................93 Report No. 54/02 – September 2008 i Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Membership and staff Chair Mr David Harris MP, Member for Wyong (from 24 September 2008) Mrs Karyn Paluzzano MP, Member for Penrith (until 24 September 2008) Deputy Chair Mr Michael Daley, Member for Maroubra (until 8 September 2008) Mrs Karyn Paluzzano MP, Member for Penrith (from 24 September 2008) Members Mr Thomas George MP, Member for Lismore Mr Gerard Martin MP, Member for Bathurst Mr Robert Oakeshott, Member for Port Macquarie (until 13 August 2008) Mr Greg Piper MP, Member for Lake Macquarie (from 24 September 2008) Mr Ray Williams MP, Member for Hawkesbury Staff Ms Vicki Buchbach, Committee Manager Ms Kylie Rudd, Senior Committee Officer Mrs Cheryl Samuels, Research Officer Mr Leon Last, Assistant Committee Officer Contact Details Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Parliament of New South Wales Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone 02 9230 3438 Facsimile 02 9230 3052 E-mail [email protected] URL www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/climatechange ii Legislative Assembly Report on 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees 2008 Terms of reference The Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) was established on 21 June 2007 to inquire into issues of sustainable natural resource management with particular reference to the impact of climate change and, in particular, to report on the following terms of reference: a) The likely consequences of human-induced climate change on land (including salinity), water and other natural resources; b) Options for ensuring ecologically sustainable natural resource use, taking into particular account the impacts of climate change; c) Approaches to land and water use management practices on farms and other natural resource management practices, having regard in particular to the role of such practices in contributing to climate change or as a tool in helping to tackle climate change; d) The effectiveness of management systems for ensuring that sustainability measures for the management of natural resources in New South Wales are achieved, having particular regard to climate change; and e) The likely consequences of national and international policies on climate change on natural resource management in New South Wales. Report No. 54/02 – September 2008 iii Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Foreword I am pleased to present this report to the House on behalf of the Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change). This is the Committee’s report on the 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees of Australian Parliaments which was held from 23 to 25 July 2008. The Committee had the pleasure of co-hosting this year’s conference along with the Standing Committee on Public Works. This reports covers the sessions of interest to environment committees. I believe the Public Works Committee will report on the other sessions. The theme of this year’s conference was “Sustainable Urbanisation”. We had the privilege of hearing from some of the country’s experts from academia, industry and government on infrastructure, planning, the environment and climate change. I would like to thank the speakers for providing the conference with their insights and expertise in an area, which is becoming increasingly complex. Not only did delegates get to hear excellent presentations they also got to see for themselves some of the projects that are incorporating the theme of sustainable urbanisation on their site inspections. Environment delegates were able to view first hand the innovative Joan Sutherland Theatre in Penrith and inspect the Penrith Lakes development. Afterward, delegates travelled to the Blue Mountains where they were briefed on the issues of sustainability and planning in the World Heritage listed area and saw first hand the wonder and beauty of the mountains. I commend both Councils on their innovation and commitment to creating sustainable communities in their areas. I would like to thank Penrith City Council, the Blue Mountains Council and the Penrith Lakes Redevelopment Corporation for making the site inspection so informative and enjoyable. I would also like to thank the Hon. Rodney Cavalier, former NSW Minister for Education, Finance and Energy and the current Chair of the Sydney Cricket Ground for his erudite address on sportsground administration at the official conference dinner. Last but not least I would especially like to thank the staff at Parliament House, the attendants, catering and the secretariats without whose valiant efforts this conference would not have happened. I am looking forward to next year’s conference that will be hosted by the Tasmanian Parliament. Karyn Paluzzano MP Deputy Chair iv Legislative Assembly Report on 13th Annual Conference of Public Works and Environment Committees 2008 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The 13th Annual Conference of Parliament Environment and Public Works Commitees was held in Sydney over three days from 23 July to 25 July 2008. More than 60 delegates from Australian parliaments. This Conference is the key opportunity for the NSW Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) to meet with environment committees from other Australian jurisdictions and to discuss issues and exchange ideas. 1.2 This year the Conference was hosted jointly by the NSW Standing Committees on Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) and Public Works. The Conference was organised by a steering committee chaired by Mrs Karyn Paluzzano MP, Chair of the Natural Resource Management (Climate Change) Committee and Mr David Borger MP, Chair of the Public Works