IN Victoria, there is currently no minimum standard for the servicing of gas appliances, particularly gas heaters, stoves and hot water services.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has opened a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for consultation, which will determine the best approach for setting minimum standards for gas appliance servicing from June this year.
She said, “The lack of minimum servicing standards is not acceptable. It increases the risks associated with ineffective servicing, including the potential carbon monoxide poisoning.”
The move to mandate servicing standards is the latest measure to improve gas appliance safety in Victoria. New standards effectively ban new open flued gas space heaters by ensuring that they are no longer certified from 1 January 2022, and laws introduced last year require safety checks for gas appliances installed in rental properties.
The Government is investing $335M towards helping low income and vulnerable households upgrade to new high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. The Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program offers a $1,000 rebate to 250,000 households, reducing the upfront cost of purchasing new split systems.
Consultation on the RIS closes 22 March. Victorian households, businesses and industry can provide feedback at engage.vic.gov.au/regulatory-impact-statement-mandate-australian-standard-4575
