NSW Parliament launches Australia-first IAQ inquiry

The inquiry will accept submissions until Friday, December 12. According to the terms of reference, the inquiry will focus on:

• The impacts of poor indoor air quality due to airborne pollutants and pathogens on:
  • (i) Health
  • (ii) Productivity and economic output
  • (iii) Work health and safety
  • (iv) Equity of access to public services and spaces
• (b) Indoor air quality standards and monitoring
• (c) Solutions to improve indoor air quality, including but not limited to:
  • (i) Building design, in particular schools, health services and public buildings
  • (ii) Retrofitted measures, including but not limited to ventilation and/or filtration systems and emerging technologies
• (d) Implications for climate resilience and pandemic preparedness.

The importance of clean air

Dr Amanda Cohn from the NSW Greens is chair of the inquiry committee. She recently announced the launch of the inquiry at the Safer Air Project’s Safer shared air: Making the invisible visible event at Parliament House on November 6.

In a short video clip filmed at the event and posted to Instagram, Cohn highlighted the differences in the way we regulate water and air quality.

“In Australia, we are very lucky, and we almost take for granted that when we turn on the tap in our homes, workplaces or public buildings, the water is safe to drink,” Cohn said. “That’s not the same for the quality of the air we breathe.

“Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a whole range of problems, whether that’s the transmission of illnesses or direct impacts on our cognition and our productivity through rebreathing stale air.”

Cohn also highlighted the particularly important role states and territories have in improving IAQ across the board.

Inquiry committee

The inquiry committee includes representation from across the political spectrum. The members are:

• Dr Amanda Cohn – Greens (chair)
• Susan Carter – Liberal (co-chair)
• Mark Buttigieg – ALP
• Greg Donnelly – ALP
• Cate Faehrmann – Greens
• Wes Fang – Nationals
• Emily Suvaal – ALP.

Image of NSW Parliament House courtesy of Adam.J.W.C. via Wikimedia Commons

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