Demise of the BP solar plant: Government's solar policy in chaos

The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water (to 8 December 2009)

The demise of the BP Solar manufacturing plant in Sydney is a tragedy for Australia’s solar industry. It reflects the fact that the Rudd Government’s solar policy is in chaos.

While the Government’s solar means test may not have caused this particular decision, removing the means test would provide opportunity to the industry and a message the Government cares about solar.

Today’s announcement is terrible news for the 200 affected workers who will lose their jobs almost on the eve of Christmas.

But it begs the question, if the Government was willing to spend $6 billion propping up our automotive industry, why is it not doing more to save, let alone expand, our solar industry?

Did they lift a finger to help BP Solar to grow and build in Australia?

The Coalition worked with BP Solar as part of our $75 million Solar Cities initiative. The program is supporting the installation of solar panels, hot water systems, smart meters and energy efficiency packs to homes and businesses in locations such as Blacktown in Sydney, Adelaide, Townsville, Alice Springs, and Central Victoria.

The Coalition also provided $79 million to support the development of the world’s largest solar concentrator in Mildura.

We have the potential to make Australia a Solar Continent with both peak and baseload energy capacity. Governments, business and the community must work to build our solar capacity.

That is why we need to do everything possible to help companies like BP Solar to grow in Australia.

By contrast, one of the first steps of the Rudd Government was to prevent householders with a combined income over $100,000 from gaining access to the $8,000 solar panel rebate.

Imposing the means test on the solar program made it harder for many families to ‘go solar’ and sent a message to the world that the Rudd Government was not serious about boosting the solar industry. The Government should immediately reverse the means test which prevents mums and dads on $50,000 each from accessing affordable solar panels.

The Coalition has a plan to build up Australia as a Solar Continent. The Rudd Government on the other hand, has stood idle while BP Solar planned to move its operations off-shore.

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