Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. The minister would be aware that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has said that she would welcome Prime Minister Gillard joining her on the Queensland election campaign trail. As an aside, as a Queenslander supporting Campbell Newman, I would also welcome Ms Gillard to Queensland! Rather than campaigning, will the Prime Minister come to Queensland to apologise to those hundreds of small businesses and countless working families who will lose their jobs and businesses as a result of the Gillard government's decision to scrap the $1,000 solar hot water rebate prematurely and without consultation or warning?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When the Prime Minister next visits Queensland, as she did earlier on 11 February, she will be there supporting those people affected by the floods and seeing how the Commonwealth expenditure has been spent in supporting those people and rebuilding their lives and dealing with the more recent flooding. That effort provided by the Commonwealth government in support of the Queensland Bligh government's efforts was designed to rebuild communities, rebuild roads and protect people's jobs, and she will—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I asked about the solar rebate.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Senator, you asked me what she will be doing when she is in Queensland. She will be reminding people that the Commonwealth's commitment in Queensland was funded despite the opposition of the Liberal and National parties; that when it came to the crunch the Liberal and National parties refused to support the relief effort in Queensland.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my point of order goes to relevance. Clearly, the minister did not even listen to the question. I asked whether Ms Gillard would apologise to those who lose their jobs as a result of the premature scrapping of the $1,000 solar rebate. I did not say anything about the floods. I did not say anything about rebuilding Queensland. I want to know if she will apologise for the premature closure of the $1,000 solar rebate.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was broader than that, Senator Macdonald.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was not!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Excuse me, Senator Macdonald, I am telling you that the question was broader than that and that that was part of the question.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I invite you to check the Hansard as to what the question was.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, thank you very much. I do not need advice. The minister has one minute and one second remaining to answer the question.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you and the Senate are well aware, the question raved on about Mr Newman and what the Prime Minister will be doing in Queensland. Very clearly, she will be supporting Queenslanders. She is very focused at the moment on the flood relief and the rebuilding. In terms of employment, one of the things we did as part of that response, and what we continue to do, is to support apprentices who might be thrown out of their trade as a result of businesses losing their capacity to work as a result of the floods. We have provided a lot of support to apprentices and to job creation to ensure that Queensland is allowed to rebuild. There are a range of policies that the Prime Minister will be supporting when visiting Queensland which show this government's commitment to supporting Queenslanders, supporting jobs and supporting recovery from the most terrible natural disasters that Queensland has been subject to in the last few years.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I would direct the minister again specifically to my question, which is on the premature cancellation of the $1,000 solar rebate.

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, on my right! Senator Macdonald is entitled to be heard in silence.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order, on my left!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary question is: can the minister confirm if the Prime Minister considered how many small businesses in Queensland will go to the wall as a result of the premature axing of the solar rebate and, if she did, can the minister tell us how many jobs and businesses are likely to go to the wall?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The supplementary question is based on a false premise. The then Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, the member for Wentworth, announced in 2007 that this scheme would close in 2012. As the relevant minister at the time, the member for Wentworth indicated that the scheme would close in 2012. Further, he is on the public record as saying that once you have a carbon price you do not need specific policies to support solar hot water. So we have support from the member for Wentworth both in terms of the fact that it was well known that this was not designed to be an ongoing program and in terms of the fact that the introduction of the carbon price would require a recalibration of policies supporting some of these solar related schemes. It is also true that we still provide ongoing incentives for installing solar hot water systems. We believe demand will continue among the Australian public for these systems.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, the minister clearly does not understand that the program was going through until 30 June and it was terminated this week without any warning or consultation. My further supplementary question is: will the Prime Minister advise whether there were any requests from the Queensland Premier for compensation for the solar panel stock on hand in those businesses that cannot now sell them because of the federal government's decision? They were expecting to sell through to the end of June. It has been cut off now and there is stock— (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think this an attempt by the opposition to fight the Queensland state election in the Senate. We have seen these attempts in the past. In my 18 or 19 years in the parliament I have never seen it work. But people always try and do it. As I said, I am sure this will be unsuccessful as well.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order with respect to relevance. How could you allow the Leader of the Government in the Senate to completely ignore the question on what the Prime Minister is going to do? Has she received a request from Ms Bligh for compensation for the stock that will be left over as a result of her government's early termination of this program?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has been going for 15 seconds. He has 45 seconds remaining. I draw the minister's attention to the question.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, the government is still providing ongoing incentives for installing solar hot water systems. Households installing the typical solar hot water system will still receive between $800 and $1,000 in renewable energy certificates. That will still provide support for the industry. The installation of solar hot water heaters is also eligible for support under the low carbon communities program worth over $330 million.

So there are ongoing programs that will provide support for the expansion of the solar hot water industry. The scheme was due to end this year. It is ending but we expect to see continued strong growth in demand for solar hot water systems.