NATIONAL MEPS LEGISLATION - Supplementary Discussion Paper - Compliance Obligations & Enforcement

Downloading the PDF Version

The full document is available as a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view it. The Adobe Reader is a free product.

Download Supplementary Discussion Paper - Compliance Obligations & Enforcement (484 kB)

If you are unable to access this document, please contact the The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency to organise a suitable alternative format.

Public Comments

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency is calling for public comment on this supplementary discussion paper. Submissions should be received by COB Monday 9 August 2010.

Please address your written submissions to:

GEMS Legislation Team
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
PO Box 854
CANBERRA ACT 2601

or GEMS Legislation Team

Summary

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE) is pleased to release a Supplementary Discussion Paper canvassing a range of design features of the proposed national legislation for Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and energy labelling for equipment and appliances.

The new national legislation follows from recent commitments on MEPS and energy labelling by Australian, state and territory governments:

The Australian Government undertook to fast track the deployment of more energy efficient appliances as part of its 2007 Solar Schools – Solar Homes Plan. A key element of this policy is to introduce greenhouse and energy minimum standards that ensure greenhouse benefits as well as energy savings are factored into standard setting;
In July 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) signed the National Partnership Agreement on Energy Efficiency and released the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency (NSEE). The proposed legislation is an important part of the NSEE.

The Department is conducting a comprehensive consultation program to ensure that the design of the national legislation is well-informed and debated. This Supplementary Discussion Paper follows from a wide-ranging discussion paper that the Department released in August 2009. That initial discussion paper explored the broad scope and design of the legislation and was accompanied by public consultation forums held in six capital cities. More recently, and consistent with COAG’s Best Practice Guidelines, the Department released a Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) in January 2010. A series of public information sessions were held around the country in February 2010.

This Supplementary Discussion Paper further explores issues that have been raised by firms, individuals and organisations in their submissions to the Discussion Paper and the Consultation RIS. In particular, this Supplementary Discussion Paper explores how compliance obligations could be imposed and enforced under the national legislation.

This discussion paper complements the Regulatory Impact Statement for National Legislation for Appliance and Equipment Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and Energy Labelling (Report 2010/01) that was released in January 2010.

The Department would be grateful for submissions in response to this Supplementary Discussion Paper no later than COB 9 August 2010.

This page last modified 14 July 2010