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New Home Owners Miss Out On Water Tank RebateMany Gippslanders are missing out on a water tank rebate, because their home is too new or they live in country areas not on reticulated water. By The Nationals - 29th March 2007 - Back to News Eastern Region MP Peter Hall blasted the State Government for what he described as "blatant stupidity" in relation to the rainwater tank rebates.
"For some obscure reason, which no-one within Government seems to be able to explain, houses issued with a building permit after 30 June 2005 are not eligible for the water tank rebate," Mr Hall said.
"The Nationals have been trying to find out for some time why this is so, but no-one within the Minister’s office nor within the Department of Sustainability and Environment is able to explain it."
Mr Hall said he was also astounded that the State Government was discriminating against country people who are not on a reticulated water supply.
"Under the current rebate scheme, a person on a reticulated water supply can claim a rebate of up to $1,000.00 on a new water tank system – provided their house is more than two years old – while a neighbour just off a reticulated system gets nothing.
Mr Hall said people building in the housing growth areas of Gippsland and Eastern Victoria, including Paynesville, Lakes Entrance, Moe, Inverloch, Trafalgar, Warragul, Mornington Peninsula, and particularly Pakenham, should be encouraged to put in water tanks.
"However, new home builders are being actively discouraged from installing rainwater tanks because they are not eligible under this rebate scheme.
"It’s absolute stupidity."
Mr Hall said it put in question the Government’s commitment to encouraging water saving.
"This affects many people across the state and really the Government should change the guidelines or at least put up some plausible reason as to why new homeowners are exempt from the rebate."
Mr Hall said The Nationals are also urging the Government to review the anomaly which pays a rebate to people in households serviced by a reticulated water scheme, and is not available to people living outside those areas.
"Why does this Government continue to discriminate against country people?" he added.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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