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  • May 10, 2017 at 9:38 am #2868
    Scott Willis
    Participant

    Hi all,
    I am due to speak on our submission on the above bill to the select committee in 3/4 of an hour. How have others found the experience? Any critical things you’d like me to raise?
    S

    May 10, 2017 at 10:04 am #2875
    Vicki Cowan
    Keymaster

    no experience with this select committee alas,
    just what I imagine you’d say: minimum insulation proposed is a joke, no moisture control
    step up parliament…
    good luck

    May 10, 2017 at 10:05 am #2876
    philgregg
    Participant

    Hi Scott

    Are you able to attach a summary of the bill. Or have you already posted it on this site and I have over looked.

    May 11, 2017 at 9:31 am #2952
    Scott Willis
    Participant

    Hi Phil,
    Attached is our submission, made almost a year ago. I enjoyed the process, and particularly so knowing there were some CEN friends in the room! I introduced myself and made a few points:
    We deal with widespread fuel poverty issues in the Deep South.
    Fuel poverty is compounded by the complexity and multiplicity of the housing crises, i.e. high rents and insecure tenure; severe housing deprivation (overcrowding, cars and caravans, etc), and; loss of social housing and increasing risk of climate ghettoization. I argued that quality housing provides significant public benefit through reducing the burden on our health system, reducing poverty and inequality, and reducing the need for social services.
    We asked for:
    – Some teeth (that’s for you Vicki!)
    – The right standards (again!)
    – For houses that are exempt, apply other requirements (not just minimum) to ensure a healthy living environment
    – For the committee to properly engage with the front-line practitioners.
    I expanded on all those points and hope that they fitted with what others said. Questions were good and allowed me to expand more and give stories. There was one odd question from Foster Bell (Nat) about how we as a Trust reconcile providing affordable firewood while we aim to reduce emissions. I enjoyed answering that one.

    May 11, 2017 at 9:32 am #2953
    Scott Willis
    Participant

    Opps (“File exceeds allowed file size”). Here’s the link.

    May 12, 2017 at 8:21 am #3021
    Vicki Cowan
    Keymaster

    nice job!
    V

    May 15, 2017 at 11:07 am #3091
    Ian Mayes
    Participant

    Well done Scott

    July 1, 2017 at 9:03 am #3336
    Ian McChesney
    Participant

    Hi all
    I don’t know whether you have caught up on the latest but the Select Committee has just issued their report on the Bill, following submissions. I quote from the recommendation as follows:
    “The votes were tied, and we were unable to agree on whether the bill should be passed”.

    The report states that Labour and the Greens continue to support the bill and will be moving a number of amendments in committee stage based on expert and public submissions to the Government Administration Committee.

    So, for those of us who submitted, and all who have been agitating for decent rental standards, the battle continues.

    I’ve attached the Select Committee report….it’s not a long read!

    all the best
    Ian

    Attachments:
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    July 3, 2017 at 10:25 am #3411
    Scott Willis
    Participant

    Many thanks for the link Ian. I agree, the battle continues!

    November 30, 2017 at 7:58 pm #4793
    Ian McChesney
    Participant

    Hi
    The Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill was passed by Parliament 63-57 this afternoon.

    The Bill has been amended in a number of areas from that which was considered earlier by the Select Committee, although the substance is similar (see attached). The Bill allows for minimum standards for rental properties that includes:
    – indoor temperatures that the dwelling must be capable of achieving
    – other outcomes standards where appropriate (e.g. moisture/humidity)
    – requirements in relation to any of the following: – heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress, draught stopping, drainage, and any other relevant aspect
    – the standard may also include requirements relating to inspection, maintenance, replacement, or other requirements

    The standards must be in place by 1 July 2019, with landlords having up to 5 years to comply.

    The Government has promised further consultation on development of the standards so there should be good opportunities to input over the next 12 months or more.

    In the meantime we should rejoice in this achievement!

    cheers
    Ian

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    December 1, 2017 at 8:08 am #4857
    Scott Willis
    Participant

    Great to have these details, many thanks for posting Ian!

    December 8, 2017 at 4:51 pm #4927
    Vicki Cowan
    Keymaster

    thanks Scott and Ian for keeping this alive and up-to-date
    I salute your ongoing passion – could they just make one of you prime minster for a day so you fix this (course it would only take you guys a day…)
    ah off to continue dreaming…
    bon weekend,
    V

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