Government 'running scared' on solar campaign

The Environment Minister personally attacked the Chief Executive of the Australian Solar Council but refused to outline the Government's plans for solar and the Renewable Energy Target.

"The Environment Minister should be attacking the Prime Minister's radical plan to shut down the solar industry, not shooting the messenger," said John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Australian Solar Council.

"The Environment Minister refused to discuss the Government's plans for the Renewable Energy Target. He failed to tell Australia's 18,000 solar workers whether they had jobs at Christmas time and he failed to tell Australians the Government is planning to make it harder for them to reduce their power bills by going solar.

The Prime Minister must today rule out changing the Renewable Energy Target and release the Warburton Report into the Renewable Energy Target, which he has had for almost a week.

The Australian Solar Council launched its national marginal seats campaign to Save Solar and the Renewable Energy on Thursday, with a major community forum in the seat of Petrie in northern Brisbane.

"Today's outburst shows how scared the Government is of this national campaign to Save Solar taking hold," Grimes said.