Solar Protest Action in Australia

Members of the solar sector in Australia have pronounced the 2011 Federal Budget, released last week, as “disappointing”. But Australian’s aren’t taking disappointment lying down. The Solar Last Chance Rally today is a response to the NSW Government permanently closing down their Solar Bonus Scheme (notably started by the previous government), and announcing last Friday that those who had been eligble for the original 60c feed-in tarrif would have their rate reduced to 40c as of July 1st.
Meanwhile protestors from Climate Change group, Rising Tide, yesterday scaled the walls of Climate Change Minister Greg Combet’s electorate office to unfurl a banner reading “Make Polluters Pay, Fund Renewable Energy”, and installing several solar panels. Their goal was to draw attention to the question of how the revenuw resulting from the carbon tax will be spent.
“We have put up the panels today to highlight the strong community support for renewable energy. If the government stood up to the clamour of the loud, greedy CEOs of polluting companies, the money could help fund solar on rooftops right across Australia,” said Rising Tide spokeswoman, Naomi Hogan.