Solar rebate scheme: Installers rally on state parliament

Jobs lost, staff fired and massive losses incurred. Furious solar installers are set to rally on state parliament this week, claiming cash handouts for customers are killing their industry.

Solar installers who claim cash handouts for customers are killing the industry will rally on state parliament tomorrow.

It’s claimed up to 400 jobs have been lost and hundreds more are at stake after the state government limited solar rebates to 3333 a month.

The allocation was exhausted within just three days when it started this month with many householders withdrawing until the next round.

Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes, whose organisation represents solar installers and wholesalers, said businesses were going to the wall with installations statewide down almost one-third.

“People are really struggling,’’ Mr Grimes said.

“They’ve gone from having growing businesses with a strong pipeline of installations, to basically nothing.

“Now, local businesses are being forced to fire staff, and incur huge losses, and it’s causing great distress.”

MORE NEWS:

ARNOTT’S BISCUITS SOLD AMID FEARS OF COST CUTS

JEWELLERY STORE HID ROACH-INFESTED COSMETIC CLINIC

Protesters want the rebate of up to $2200 halved so it doubles how many people can get it.

An alternative demand is for an extra $100 million to be poured into the scheme this financial year.

“The industry has become a solar coaster,’’ Mr Grimes said.

“One minute it’s up, the next it’s down. And that’s no way to plan the roll out of a major program such as this.”

The government has said the rebate was designed in consultation with industry to provide certainty and avoid “boom and bust” cycles of installation.

Administration improvements were being made before next month’s rebate round.

[e-mail]