Media Releases | 11th Mar, 2009

Environment Victoria’s response to the Brumby Government’s plans for a new solar power station

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

Environment Victoria welcomed plans for a new large scale solar plant but said that the Brumby Government was turning its back on the conventional solar industry and was ignoring an opportunity to develop green jobs.

Mark Wakeham, Environment Victoria’s Campaigns Director, said today:

“We welcome new funding for a large scale solar plant in regional Victoria. This technology is relatively new and State Government support to fast-track the technology is welcome, though we do note that the funding is contingent on Federal support.

“Unfortunately this announcement seems designed to disguise that the Brumby Government has made only very minor amendments to its flawed solar feed-in tariff to be introduced into Parliament this week.

“Households who have been hoping to install solar power will receive little support under this scheme, while business and community-owned buildings look to have been excluded completely. In a time when we’re losing jobs why would the Brumby Government ignore its own departmental advice by stifling new jobs in the solar industry and failing to offer the support for households to go solar that is increasingly available in other states?

“The ALP has failed to learn from the experience of over 40 nations in designing its solar scheme. Now its over to the Liberals, the National Party, the Greens and the DLP to improve the legislation and make it work. This is Ted Baillieu’s big opportunity to demonstrate his green credentials and create a thriving industry and new jobs.

WATCH! Campaigns Director Mark Wakeham talks to ABC News about Victoria’s solar feed-in tariff scheme