Tenants’ long wait as heater program drags on
THE “majority” of 650 potentially dangerous public housing heaters in the Geelong region have been replaced, the State Government department responsible says.
But the Department of Health and Human Services would not reveal the exact number of Vulcan Heritage and Pyrox Heritage space heaters that have been replaced when pressed by the Geelong Advertiser.
“Given the issues associated with the Vulcan and Pyrox heaters, the department is working to disconnect and replace them all,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
“The department’s contractors have engaged additional licensed and registered gas plumbers to cope with the demand and there are about 100 working across the state on this project.”
Vulcan Heritage and Pyrox Heritage space heaters were removed from sale earlier this year after the Australian Gas Association raised concerns about potentially “unsafe levels of carbon monoxide” they produced.
Earlier this year the DHHS wrote to public housing tenants recommending they stop using the heaters.
About 2500 heaters have been provided at no cost to the tenants, since and it was able to provide more to those who needed them.
DHHS has not revealed the level of subsidies it will provide public tenants who face soaring electricity bills while they use temporary heaters.
On Monday in the Geelong Advertiser Norlane single mother Anita Johnson said she had been told to stop using the Vulcan heater in her housing commission home in April, but it was not replaced until last Friday.
Meanwhile it is not clear when all Vulcan and Pyrox heaters across the state will be replaced, how many heaters a plumber is able to replace in one day, or how many public housing tenants are still waiting for temporary heaters.
Private homeowners with the Pyrox or Vulcan heaters should call Climate Technologies on 8795 2462 to have it checked, and those with the heaters in public housing can call 1800 148 426.