SUNNY CHANGE???

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The antics of Environment Minister Peter Garrett point to a change in the Labor Government’s position on Solar Panels Rebates, a member of the Senate Committees enquiring into the Oppositions Bill to retain the Rebate, said today.

Queensland Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald said that the unprecedented direction from the Minister to Public Servants in the Department of Environment not to attend Senate Committee hearings, pointed to a change in policy.

“The Government is realising from the overwhelming objections to the Means Test on Rebates, that they got it very wrong”

“I predict that Mr Garrett will use his address to the Clean Energy Council Conference on Saturday to announce a change in Government Policy on the Mean test” Senator Macdonald said.

“My prediction is given more weight by the assurance from the Labor Chair of the Enquiry Committee that the Department Officials will participate in the Enquiry in a couple of weeks.

“It is clear that the Department could not be allowed to give evidence this week as they would be forced to admit they were doing work on the change in Policy.

“They would also be obliged to give the real statistics on the huge drop off in applications for the Solar Panel Rebate.

“Evidence given to the Public Hearings of  the Senate Committee, show a massive drop off in people installing solar panels since the Means Test was announced in the Budget.

“But only the Department have the real figures – and the Minister has gagged their evidence” Senator Macdonald said.

“Witnesses attending the Committees Hearings in Melbourne yesterday said they were assured by the former Prime Minister John Howard’s commitment not to cap funding for the Solar Panels Rebate and had accordingly planned for an expansion of the take up rate on installation of Solar panels.

“People want to play their part in the reduction of greenhouse emissions by installing solar panels but Mr Garret’s clumsy policy on the run had stymied their enthusiasm.

“Pressure put on the government by the Oppositions Bill to restore the Rebate in full will mean a change in Policy by Labor.

“And that’s good for the Environment and for the Alternative Energy business sector and Small Business”  Senator Macdonald said.

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