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1. What was proposedLaura NuttallGreens · Crossbench
   Read the original wording (510 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) wood heaters cause PM2.5 air pollution; (b) there are no safe levels of PM2.5 exposure; (c) 65,000 Canberrans suffer from long-term respiratory conditions; (d) Asthma Australia research finds that: (i) people exposed to wood heaters are largely unable to protect themselves from smoke; and (ii) people with asthma are twice as likely to experience breathing difficulty when exposed to wood heater smoke, compared to people without asthma; (e) in the Lung Foundation’s 2023 survey of people living with lung disease or cancer, 49 percent of respondents said that wood heaters have a moderate to severe impact on their lung health; (f) research estimates that wood heater smoke causes approximately 11-63 premature deaths in the ACT each year with an estimated cost of up to $333 million; (g) the topography of Tuggeranong’s beautiful valley means it has worse air quality than other ACT regions; and (h) the ACT has enshrined the right to a healthy environment as a human right, including the right to clean air. The right has taken affect from March 2025 and will be judiciable from October 2028; (2) further notes that: (a) the ACT Government has committed to phasing out wood heaters by 2045; (b) phasing out wood heaters will involve restrictions on installations and policies to achieve the removal of existing wood heaters throughout the ACT; (c) Canberrans deserve to be consulted with, and fully informed on how the ACT Government plans to phase out wood heaters by 2045; (d) the ACT Government committed funding in the 2024-2025 Budget to progress a Regulatory Impact Statement to inform the phase-out of wood heaters. This work has not been completed to date and funding has been withdrawn; (e) there is no accurate estimate of the number of wood heaters in the ACT; (f) air quality monitors operated by the ACT Government exist in three locations, limiting the data available for many residential areas; and (g) the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) current method of determining environmental harm from wood heater smoke relies on a visual assessment of smoke, making enforcement difficult; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) publish the AECOM air quality study and 2024 Air Quality Report by 31 October 2025; (b) commence public consultation on a draft plan to phase out wood heaters by 1 March 2026; (c) publish a final plan by 1 July 2026 to phase out wood heaters in the ACT by 2045; (d) establish a wood heater register to quantify the number and location of existing wood heaters; (e) investigate the cost of wood heater smoke on the ACT’s public health system, including the cost of treatment for people with lung conditions exacerbated by wood heater smoke; (f) investigate empirical methods for the EPA to determine environmental harm or nuisance from wood heater smoke; (g) investigate the rigour of low-cost air quality monitors, including Purple Air Monitors, that could support citizen science monitoring of PM2.5; and (h) report progress to the Assembly on (f) and (g) by 1 March 2026. Debate ensued.

2. Proposed changeSuzanne OrrLabor · Minister4 September 2025

   Grouped by key words as: rewrote the proposal, changed a date or deadline, changed a number or target, added reporting or consultation, added conditions.

   The exact wording of this change

   together: 1. After “(1) notes that:” insert: “(a) according to the 2023-2024 Greenhouse Gas Inventory, wood fuel accounts for <0.1 percent of stationary energy emissions sources and less than <0.02 percent of all emissions sources;”. 2. Omit all text after “(2) further notes that:”, substitute: “(a) the ACT Government has agreed in principle to establish a target date for the replacement of wood heaters in Canberra suburbs, noting the ACT is on a journey to electrify the city and transition away from the use of fossil fuel gas by 2045; (b) the ACT Government will continue to analyse the options, costs and timeframes to transition households away from using wood heaters and onto suitable forms of electric alternatives; (c) current ACT Government supports include the Wood Heater Replacement Program, which provides a rebate to remove a wood heater and replace it with an efficient electric alternative, the Sustainable Household Loan Scheme and public housing sustainable energy upgrades and programs; (d) installation of new wood heaters is restricted in the Molonglo Valley (excluding Wright), Dunlop and East O’Malley where strategic air quality planning assessments have indicated they would have an adverse impact on the community; (e) the Government has agreed in principle to extend the ban to areas such as Tuggeranong, subject to further evidence from air quality assessments and other considerations; (f) any decision by the Government to mandate the removal of wood heaters will require careful analysis and consultation with the community to understand the impacts. As removal of wood heaters can pose challenges, as these are often structural; (g) the ACT Government committed funding in the 2024-2025 Budget to progress a Regulatory Impact Statement to inform the phase out of wood heaters; this work continues under base funding; (h) calls for a register have not been agreed by the ACT Government due to costs and impacts on the community outweighing the benefits; (i) air quality monitors operated by the ACT Government exist in three locations to monitor air pollution in the ACT against the National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM). These are not intended to provide specific localised information, thus limiting the data available for many residential areas, but nonetheless meet regulatory responsibilities; and (j) after careful consideration of previous requests, the EPA has not identified any feasible or reliable approach to strengthen its process for determining environmental harm or nuisance from wood heater smoke. This is primarily due to the challenges and restrictions in accessing private properties and empirically measuring the emissions at the source. If cost- effective empirically proven measurement options and criteria are identified, they will be considered for adoption; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to continue its approach of balancing environmental, health and community feedback and equity considerations through the current phase-out mechanisms and programs in place, while considering further proportionate and balanced responses as part of its continuing journey to Net Zero 2045.”. Debate continued. Ms Orr, who had already spoken, by leave, again addressed the Assembly. Debate continued. Paper: Ms Cheyne (Minister for City and Government Services) tabled the following paper: ACT Air Quality Report 2024—Environment Protection Authority, dated June 2025.

   Not agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded.

3. What the Assembly decidedNot agreed

   Recorded vote on the final question

   Ayes 6

   • Andrew Braddock, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall, Shane Rattenbury
   • Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson

   Noes 13

   • Chiaka Barry, Mark Parton, Peter Cain, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, James Milligan
   • Suzanne Orr, Yvette Berry, Chris Steel, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Tara Cheyne, Caitlin Tough, Taimus Werner-Gibbings