Solar scheme warnings ignored

The Bligh Labor Government was warned almost a year ago that its solar hot water scheme was “ill conceived” and could cost jobs, the State Opposition revealed today.

In State Parliament today, LNP Leader John-Paul Langbroek tabled an email a solar hot water supplier sent to the Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor on 10 April 2009 warning of potential problems with the scheme.

The supplier warned that “jobs will be lost” and “small business will close their doors leaving debts that can’t be paid”.

 The email also referred to an industry forum held with the State Government in April 2009 in which suppliers delivered similar warnings that the scheme would impact negatively on industry investment and could lead to “manufacturers boycotting Queensland”.

Mr Langbroek said the scheme was a “dud from day one” and it was the Bligh Labor Government’s version of the Peter Garrett foil insulation scheme.

“Less than one per cent of the promised 200,000 solar hot water systems installed before the scheme was dumped,” he said.

“Bligh and Labor claimed the program would create 500 new jobs but the cut price program decimated the established solar hot water industry as homeowners put off upgrades while waiting for the Bligh Labor Government to get its election promise rolling.

 “The Bligh Labor Government was clearly warned by industry this would happen, but typically these warnings were ignored.

“Bligh and Labor lied about their plans for privatisation, lied about their plans for a fuel tax and they lied about their plans to provide discounted hot water systems too.”