Exclusive by Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY: In the lead up to the air conditioner industry’s do-or-die meeting with the Queensland Government this Friday, AREMA spokesperson Steve Anderson has said he is not worried other states will change the rules without notice. What’s more, Anderson believes Queensland has made itself a laughing stock with these new regulations.

With the Queensland Government set to render thousands of air conditioners obsolete on 1 July 2009, Anderson and representatives from leading air conditioner manufacturers have a meeting with Minister Hinchliffe this Friday. At this meeting, Anderson will ask that the proposed regulations are scrapped, and that Queensland realign itself with the national framework.

We asked Anderson if he feared other states will follow Queensland’s example.

“Absolutely not,” he replied. “Queensland has made itself a laughing stock with this measure.”

“The other state and territory governments have always acted through the national framework and not stepped outside it. I’m not aware of any other state that is considering this, and as I say, Queensland has made itself a bit of a laughing stock with this parochial approach.”

As evidence that Queensland is making itself a subject of industry ridicule, Anderson pointed out just how difficult it is going to be for the Government to enforce these measures, should it persist in implementing them.

“I don’t think they’ve even though about how they’re going to enforce this. Who’s going to enforce this? How are we going to manage to see that that’s fairly done?

“If they wanted to go test some of these air conditioners, for example, there’s no testing facility in Queensland, and the one in Sydney is booked up.

“There’s been no thought about how this is actually going to be enforced.”

Current.com.au has repeatedly contacted Minister Hinchcliffe’s office for comment, but our calls have not been returned.