1Short titleThis regulation may be cited as the Rural and Regional Adjustment (Climate Smart Energy Saver Scheme) Amendment Regulation 2023.2CommencementThis regulation commences on 1 September 2023.3Regulation amendedThis regulation amends the Rural and Regional Adjustment Regulation 2011.4Insertion of new sch 53After schedule 52—insert—Schedule 53Climate Smart Energy Saver Schemesection 3(1)Part 1Preliminary1Objective of schemeThe objective of the scheme is to encourage households to reduce electricity consumption, and related costs, by replacing appliances with eligible appliances.2Purpose of assistanceThe purpose of assistance under the scheme is to provide a rebate to offset part of the cost to an applicant of buying an eligible appliance and, if applicable, installing it to replace another appliance at residential premises occupied by the applicant.3Definitions for scheduleIn this schedule—applicant means an individual applying for assistance under the scheme. eligible appliance means—

(a)any of the following appliances with an energy rating of at least 4 stars—

(i)a clothes washer, clothes dryer or combination clothes washer and dryer;

(ii)a dishwasher;

(iii)a refrigerator or combination refrigerator and freezer;

(iv)an air conditioner, if—

(A)the energy rating is for the air conditioner’s cooling function; and

(B)the air conditioner complies with the requirements of AS/NZS 4755.1:2017 relating to air conditioners; or

(b)a heat-pump hot water system or solar hot water system.

energy rating, for an appliance, means the rating shown on the energy rating label required or permitted, under a GEMS determination, to be communicated in connection with the retail supply, or offer of retail supply, of the appliance.GEMS determination means a GEMS determination in force under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (Cwlth).income earner, for an application for assistance under the scheme, means—

(a)if the applicant has a spouse who occupies the residential premises to which the application relates—whomever of the applicant or the spouse had the higher taxable income for the most recent financial year; or

(b)otherwise—the applicant.

occupy means occupy as a principal place of residence.residential premises means premises in Queensland used as a place of residence or mainly as a place of residence.scheme means the scheme set out in this schedule.taxable income, of the income earner for an application for assistance under the scheme, means the taxable income of the earner within the meaning of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cwlth).Part 2General provisions for scheme4Nature and amount of assistance(1)The nature of the assistance available to an applicant under the scheme is a rebate for part of the cost of buying 1 eligible appliance and, if applicable, installing it to replace another appliance at residential premises occupied by the applicant. (2)The amount of the assistance is the total of—

(a)the lesser of the following amounts—

(i)the amount mentioned in subsection (3) for the eligible appliance;

(ii)the total cost incurred by the applicant for buying the appliance and, if applicable, installing it at the residential premises; and

(b)the amount of any GST payable by the authority in relation to the assistance mentioned in paragraph (a).

(3)For subsection (2)(a)(i), the amount for the eligible appliance is—

(a)if the taxable income of the income earner for the application, for the most recent financial year, was $66,667 or less—

(i)for a clothes washer, clothes dryer, combination clothes washer and dryer or dishwasher—$550; or

(ii)for a refrigerator or combination refrigerator and freezer—$600; or

(iii)for an air conditioner—$650; or

(iv)for a hot water system—$1,000; or

(b)otherwise—

(i)for a clothes washer, clothes dryer, combination clothes washer and dryer or dishwasher—$300; or

(ii)for a refrigerator or combination refrigerator and freezer—$350; or

(iii)for an air conditioner—$400; or

(iv)for a hot water system—$800.

5Operation of schemeThe scheme—

(a)opens on the day stated on the website of the department administering the Electricity Act 1994 as the day the scheme opens; and

(b)closes on the earliest of the following days—

(i)the day stated on the website as the day the scheme closes;

(ii)the day on which the authority’s assistance funds for the scheme become insufficient to pay further assistance under the scheme;

(iii)30 June 2025.

6Eligibility criteria(1)An applicant is eligible to receive assistance under the scheme if—

(a)the applicant is an adult; and

(b)the authority is satisfied the applicant occupies the residential premises to which the application relates; and

(c)the applicant bought, and installed at the premises, the eligible appliance to which the application relates—

(i)while the scheme is open; and

(ii)while the applicant occupied the premises; and

(iii)within 30 days before making the application; and

(d)the authority is satisfied the eligible appliance was installed to replace another appliance; and

(e)if the installation involved work for which a licence is required under the Electrical Safety Act 2002, the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 or the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991—the work was carried out by a holder of the licence; and

(f)the authority has not previously approved assistance under the scheme—

(i)for the applicant; or

(ii)for any spouse of the applicant who occupied the premises when the assistance was approved; or

(ii)in relation to an eligible appliance installed at the premises while the applicant, or any spouse of the applicant, occupied the premises; and

(g)no other government funding has been given—

(i)to the applicant, in relation to an eligible appliance; or

(ii)to any spouse of the applicant, in relation to an eligible appliance installed at the premises while the spouse occupied the premises; or

(ii)in relation to an eligible appliance installed at the premises while the applicant, or any spouse of the applicant, occupied the premises.

(2)In this section—other government funding means financial assistance, other than a loan, provided by—

(a)the Commonwealth government, unless the assistance was given in relation to buying and installing a heat-pump hot water system or solar hot water system under the scheme known as the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme; or

(b)the government of a State or a local government.

7Condition of assistance(1)Payment of assistance to an applicant under the scheme is subject to the condition stated in subsection (2).(2)The applicant must give the authority a receipt for the cost of—

(a)buying the eligible appliance to which the application relates; and

(b)if section 6(1)(e) applies in relation to the installation of the appliance—the installation.

(3)The receipt must include the following—

(a)the name and address of the entity that issued the receipt;

(b)if the entity has an Australian Company Number or an Australian Business Number—

(i)the number; or

(ii)if the entity has both numbers—either number;

(c)the date the cost was incurred;

(d)a description of the eligible appliance;

(e)for a receipt required to be given to the authority under subsection (2)(b)—

(i)confirmation the installation was carried out at the residential premises to which the application relates; and

(ii)the date of the installation; and

(iii)a description of the work involved in the installation; and

(iv)the name and licence number of the holder of the relevant licence who carried out the work.

8Applications(1)An application for assistance under the scheme must be—

(a)made in relation to not more than 1 eligible appliance installed at residential premises; and

(b)made on the application form approved by the authority; and

(c)accompanied by the following documents—

(i)the documents stated in the application form;

(ii)documentary evidence showing that the applicant occupies the premises;Examples of documentary evidence—copy of driver licence, copy of council rates notice, copy of tenancy agreement

(iii)if section 4(3)(a) applies for working out the amount of assistance applied for—

(A)a declaration by the applicant stating the name of the income earner for the application; and

(B)documentary evidence, to the satisfaction of the authority, of the taxable income of the income earner for the most recent financial year;

(iv)if section 6(1)(e) does not apply in relation to the installation of the eligible appliance—a declaration by the applicant that the eligible appliance was purchased and, if applicable, installed, to replace another appliance in the premises.

(2)If the authority asks the applicant to provide further information to support the application, the applicant must provide the information.9Deciding applications(1)The authority must consider, and decide to approve or refuse to approve, each application for assistance that complies with section 8(1).(2)The authority must consider applications in the order they are received by the authority.(3)The authority must refuse an application if the authority’s assistance funds for the assistance applied for are not sufficient to pay for the assistance.(4)If the authority refuses to approve an application, the authority must give the applicant written notice of the decision.