The Rudd Government’s Green Loans Scheme cannot handle the community demand and is headed for collapse, according to figures obtained in Senate Estimates hearings late last night.
“Tens of thousands of Australian families and households have registered their interest in greening up their homes, but a pitiful 58 loans have been processed to date,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.
“Demand for green loans outstrips the scheme’s capabilities by so much that it is headed for the same fate as the rooftop solar rebate, solar schools program and other green initiatives that have been unceremoniously dumped when they became too successful.”
The Greens Loans Scheme was an election promise to provide zero interest loans to householders who want to green up their homes. It was originally intended to start in January 2009, but finally started in July, with technical hitches in the scheme’s web portal slowing it down even further.
Under the scheme, accredited assessors conduct household energy audits. The audits are provided to the government which in turn provides the householder with an assessment report which they can then use to obtain a low interest loan from a financial institution.
According to figures obtained in Senate Estimates hearings late last night:
• the scheme is aimed at providing 75,000 loans over four years;
• the scheme budgets for 20,000 loans in the current financial year;
• to date, 44,000 households have registered for the home energy audits;
• 27,044 assessments have been completed;
• some 12,000 reports have been sent out in recent weeks;
• 58 loans have been approved as at the end of September, with none at all before the beginning of that month;
• as few as 317 reports are currently under consideration by financial institutions.
“The mismatch between the demand for the loans, the number of loans budgeted for, and the number of loans actually processed shows just how much the Rudd Government has again underestimated the community feeling about dealing with the climate crisis.
“I’m deeply concerned that, if the Green Loans Scheme can get over its serious teething troubles, it will end up collapsing under its own weight.
“With 44,000 registrations and only 317 reports under consideration, you can guarantee that there will be a nasty crunch in the next few months.
“Mr Rudd has followed closely in Mr Howard’s footsteps, closing down green schemes when demand outstrips budgeting, as the rooftop solar and solar schools programs show.
“That approach has a major human cost, as well as environmental and economic, with thousands of people who had secured jobs thanks to the schemes tossed on the scrap heap.
“The Green Loans Scheme must be urgently fixed before it meets the same fate.”
http://www.christinemilne.org.au/| www.GreensMPs.org.au
Senator Christine Milne
