Melbourne Level 40, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne Vic. 3000 PO Box 82, Collins Street West, Melbourne Vic. 8007 t: +61 3 9291 2333 | f: +61 3 9291 2399 | DX 30959 Stock Exchange Melbourne | www.sparke.com.au adelaide | brisbane | canberra | darwin | melbourne | newcastle | perth | sydney | upper hunter PJM\CYV\66199392\1

4 October 2018

Rachel Nicol Coroners Court of Victoria Coroner’s Registrar 65 Kavanagh Street Southbank VIC 3006

By emailcpuresponses@coronerscourt.vic.gov.au

Dear Ms Nicol Finding into death with inquest – Sonia Sofianopoulos Coroners Court Reference: COR 2017 3566 Our ref:PJM:CLI022-00003

We confirm we act for Climate Technologies Pty Ltd and refer to your letter addressed to our client dated 21 August 2018.

The following response is provided in accordance with section 72(3) of the Coroners Act (2008) (Vic) (the Act).

The response is provided in response to Recommendation Three, contained within the findings of Coroner Jacqui Hawkins delivered on 22 August 2018 (Findings), which relevantly stated, at page 46 of the Findings:

We confirm that the Coroner’s recommendation has been implemented by Climate Technologies Pty Ltd.

On 2 October 2018 Timothy O’leary, CEO of Climate Technologies Pty Ltd, caused to be published in The Age and the Herald Sun newspapers a Consumer Safety Notification addressing the matters referred to in Recommendation Three.

Sparke Helmore Lawyers

PJM\CYV\66199392\1 4 October 2018 Page 2 of 2

Copies of the publications are enclosed.

Yours faithfully

Partner responsible: Patrick McGrath t: +61 3 9291 2386 e: patrick.mcgrath@sparke.com.au

Encls.

NATAGE A005

CLIMATET E C H N O L O G I E S

CONSUMER SAFETY NOTIFICATIONDo you have a Vulcan Heritage or a Pyrox Heritage gas heater?People with Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage gas heaters in their homes should have them checked by a qualified gasfitter immediately. Laboratory tests have shown that in certain installation environments where there is poor ventilation and bathroom exhaust fans or kitchen rangehoods are used at the same time as the heater, there is potential for carbon monoxide poisoning to occur.

It is important that Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage gas heaters are regularly serviced and maintained, including servicing at least every two years by a registered gasfitter. Recent testing of these heaters and their installation environments by Climate Technologies has demonstrated the importance of having the heaters checked and serviced by a qualified gasfitter. This is to ensure the heaters continue to operate in a safe and efficient manner.

What do I do?If you have one of these heaters and it has not been regularly serviced or maintained, including a safety check in the past 2 years, do not use it until it can be tested by a qualified gasfitter. In the meantime, please use alternative sources of heating. DO NOT bring outdoor gas appliances inside such as a patio heater. This is dangerous and can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

For people living in DHHS housing:DHHS has a program to test all Vulcan Heritage heaters or Pyrox Heritage heaters in their properties. Phone DHHS on 1800 148 426 for more information.

For people living in private homes:The manufacturer Climate Technologies will arrange for a test by a qualified gasfitter and provide a rebate of $150 towards the cost of the test. If the heater needs to be decommissioned, Climate Technologies will assist with the replacement cost. Phone Climate Technologies on (03) 8795 2462 for more information or to arrange a test.

Need to know more?For further information please contact Climate Technologies on (03) 8795 2462 or email service@climtech.com.auFurther information can also be obtained by contacting Energy Safe Victoria on 1800 800 158 or at www.esv.vic.gov.au

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 THE AGE 5NEWS

Reef millions a bid to balance books: PMNicole Hasham

Scott Morrison is under pressureover the Great Barrier Reef grant.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison saysa desire to balance the federalbudget drove a surprise decision tobestow $444 million in Great BarrierReef funding to a private foundation,as emails emerge showing that de-partment officials expressed reliefthey were not involved in the contro-versial grant.

Mr Morrison’s concession wasleapt on by Labor, which said itshows the former treasurer is a pooreconomic manager and fiddled withthe national accounts at the expenseof the environment.

The government has been underfire since April when it announcedthe grant of almost half a billion dol-lars to the Great Barrier ReefFoundation – a small, private char-

ity with strong corporate links.The government’s own science

agencies were not consulted on thedevelopment of the policy, nor werethey given the chance to apply forthe funds, which were granted with-out a tender process. The moneywas subtracted from the nationalledger and transferred to the bankaccounts of the foundation beforethe end of last financial year, justweeks after the announcement.

In an interview with News Corppublished yesterday, Mr Morrison –who was treasurer at the time – saidhe took responsibility for the deci-sion, saying it aided the future of thereef and allowed ‘‘our return to abalanced budget at the earliest op-portunity’’.

Mr Morrison later said he andFinance Minister Mathias Cormanndetermined the 2017-18 budget posi-

tion had improved ‘‘and that gave usthe opportunity to actually make thebiggest investment in the future ofthe reef in one go’’.

Labor frontbencher AnthonyAlbanese yesterday said Mr Morris-

on’s remarks suggested the grantwas bad policy for both the environ-ment and the economy.

Meanwhile, private emailsemerged showing officials at the De-partment of Industry, Innovationand Science were deeply suspiciousof the decision. The emails were re-vealed in documents tabled in theSenate. The Australian Institute ofMarine Science and CSIRO comeunder the auspices of the depart-ment, which at the time was in theportfolio of Michaelia Cash.

In one email sent on August 1,Clare McLaughlin, general managerof the science agencies governancebranch, is informed by a colleaguethat Environment Department sec-retary Finn Pratt was not present ata meeting when then prime ministerMalcolm Turnbull offered the grantto the foundation. ‘‘Good news for

him, I guess,’’ Ms McLaughlin re-sponded. In another email, a depart-ment program manager Noel Talonisays ‘‘thankfully not’’ when asked ifhis department is managing thegrant, to which another colleague,Veronica Chan, responds ‘‘Phew’’.

A spokeswoman for Senator Cashsaid comments made by depart-ment officials ‘‘are a matter forthose individuals . . . it is incorrect tosuggest that Minister Cash had anyconcerns about meeting with AIMSand the Great Barrier Reef Founda-tion, which went ahead as planned”.

The department has been contac-ted for comment.

The grant decision is being ex-amined by a Senate inquiry and theAustralian National Audit Office.Labor has pledged to take back anyunspent funds if it wins the nextelection.

States seeking GST guarantee from MorrisonEryk Bagshaw

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has ac-cused the states of playing politicswith the GST, as Victoria and NSWcall on the Morrison government toensure ‘‘no state will be worse off’’under its $7.2 billion package.

Modelling from the Victorian

Treasury paints a doomsday scen-ario of revenues collapsing by$500 million if iron ore prices fall inWestern Australia, while a reduc-tion in stamp duty in Victoria andNSW from a property downturncould also leave both worse off by2026-27.

The hypothetical scenario will beused by Victorian Treasurer Tim

Pallas to demand Prime MinisterScott Morrison legislate that nostate will be worse off under thechanges, which will see a floor of 75¢per person per dollar of GST and asix-year formula transition periodput into law.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrot-tet has called for the states and ter-ritories to agree to the reforms

through the Council of AustralianGovernments, rather than the Coali-tion going over their heads and legis-lating changes unilaterally with fed-eral Labor’s support.

Signalling he is ready to take thefight to his state counterparts whenthey meet at the Council of FederalFinancial Relations in Melbourne to-morrow, Mr Perrottet said his gov-

ernment believes ‘‘that it’s not fairthat NSW continues to subsidise in-efficient states as well as states likeWestern Australia who do not planfor future downturns to their eco-nomies’’.

Mr Pallas said the Prime Ministerclaimed that no states will be worseoff ‘‘but they’ve provided no mech-anism to ensure this is the case’’.

10 NEWS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 HERALDSUN.COM.AU

MHSE02Z01MA - V1

vators poured soil on top.In Balaroa, a Palu suburb

once home to a housing com-plex, a wasteland of flattenedtrees, shards of concrete, twist-ed metal roofing, door framesand mangled furniturestretched into the distance.

Dazed groups of people am-bled over the wreckage, amongthem three men looking fortheir younger brother.

Rescuers are racing againstthe clock with a lack of equip-ment to save those still trappedin the rubble, with up to 60

people feared to be under onePalu hotel alone.

Two survivors had beenplucked from the 80-roomHotel Roa-Roa.

Desperate survivors turnedto looting shops for basics suchas food, water and fuel aspolice looked on, unwilling orunable to intervene.

“There has been no aid, weneed to eat. We don’t have anyother choice, we must getfood,” one Palu man said as hefilled a basket with goods.AFP

INDONESIAN volunteersbegan burying bodies in a massgrave with space for more thana thousand people yesterday.

They were victims of lastweek’s quake and tsunami thatdevastated Sulawesi and leftauthorities struggling to dealwith the scale of the disaster.

The capital Jakarta hadbeen keen to show it could dealwith a catastrophe that haskilled at least 832 people,according to the official toll.

But four days later someremote areas are still out ofcontact.

Medicines are running outas rescuers struggle witha shortage of heavy equipmentas they try to reach desperatevictims calling out from theruins of collapsed buildings.

President Joko Widodo hasopened the door to the dozensof international aid agenciesand NGOs that are lined up toprovide lifesaving assistance.

But officials fear the toll willrise steeply in the coming daysand are preparing for theworst, declaring a 14-day stateof emergency.

At Poboya — in the hillsabove the devastated seasidecity of Palu — volunteersbegan to fill a vast grave witha capacity of 1300 victims.

Authorities are desperate tostave off any disease outbreakcaused by decomposing bodies.

Three trucks arrivedstacked with corpses wrappedin orange, yellow and blackbags. One by one they weredragged into the grave as exca-

Mass burial

beginsToll expected to rise

A boat and collapsed buildings litter a Palu street, while a survivor salvages items from the debris.

$100m for home support ROB HARRIS

AN extra $100 million to helpsenior Australians live inde-pendently in their homes willbe injected into the govern-ment-funded system over thenext two years.

The boost to the Common-wealth Home Support Pro-gram will include extraservices for household jobssuch as cleaning and laundry,help with bathing, meals orsmall jobs such as changinglight bulbs or tap washers.

Additional funding of$50 million will be offered eachyear to a targeted group of pro-viders to meet the ever-grow-ing waiting list for aged care,with the first payments to pro-viders in January 2019.

PEDESTRIAN DIES IN KEWAN elderly woman using a walking frame to get to a hairdressing appointment died after being hit by a truck in Kew yesterday.

The 69-year-old Hawthornwoman was hit at the corner of Denmark St and Studley Park Rd in Kew soon after 4.30pm. It is believed she used the pedestrian crossing but did not make it across before the lights changed.

CLIMATET E C H N O L O G I E S

CONSUMER SAFETY NOTIFICATIONDo you have a Vulcan Heritage or a Pyrox Heritage gas heater?People with Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage gas heaters in their homes should have them checked by a qualified gasfitter immediately. Laboratory tests have shown that in certain installation environments where there is poor ventilation and bathroom exhaust fans or kitchen rangehoods are used at the same time as the heater, there is potential for carbon monoxide poisoning to occur.

It is important that Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage gas heaters are regularly serviced and maintained, including servicing at least every two years by a registered gasfitter. Recent testing of these heaters and their installation environments by Climate Technologies has demonstrated the importance of having the heaters checked and serviced by a qualified gasfitter. This is to ensure the heaters continue to operate in a safe and efficient manner.

What do I do?If you have one of these heaters and it has not been regularly serviced or maintained, including a safety check in the past 2 years, do not use it until it can be tested by a qualified gasfitter. In the meantime, please use alternative sources of heating. DO NOT bring outdoor gas appliances inside such as a patio heater. This is dangerous and can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

For people living in DHHS housing:DHHS has a program to test all Vulcan Heritage heaters or Pyrox Heritage heaters in their properties. Phone DHHS on 1800 148 426 for more information.

For people living in private homes:The manufacturer Climate Technologies will arrange for a test by a qualified gasfitter and provide a rebate of $150 towards the cost of the test. If the heater needs to be decommissioned, Climate Technologies will assist with the replacement cost. Phone Climate Technologies on (03) 8795 2462 for more information or to arrange a test.

Need to know more?For further information please contact Climate Technologies on (03) 8795 2462 or email service@climtech.com.auFurther information can also be obtained by contacting Energy Safe Victoria on 1800 800 158 or at www.esv.vic.gov.au