Queensland water tanks and solar hot water

Yesterday's Financial Review newspaper alerted me to yet another Queensland State Government anti-environment decision. That of dismantling previous Labor government policy in regard to installation of water tanks and solar hot water heaters (pg 11).
It seems the poor people of Queensland will not now be obliged to install these environmental saving devices when building new homes. Unlike in Victoria where a 6 Star Energy Rating is applied to all new homes and extensions, including a requirement for solar water system or rainwater tank.
Queensland customers can now choose!
Solarhart advertises the previous building requirements as such "Under the Standard Building Regulations (SBR) sustainability measures have been introduced which are expected to reduce energy use in new houses by 33 percent and reduce water use by up to 36 percent. "
So a saving of approx $5000 when building a house (in Queensland) can mean the loss of several 10's of years free hot-water and rain water, as well as the opportunity to improve our building stock. In one of the sunniest and water poor nations on our groaning planet.
Such is the power of choice.
Of course this change assumes that by enabling free choice the individuals concerned know enough to choose. Not necessarily a given in my humble opinion. Or that the $5000 saved can be retrofitted later. It will be interesting to see how much Queensland will lag in numbers fitting these devices in a few years time.

Perhaps the Queensland State Government will remove the requirement for other regulations that have been introduced for "the common good" and continue to back business interests. Makes my reading of Joseph Stiglitz' book "the Price of Inequality" even more relevant.