Milne refers Green Loans debacle to Auditor General

The Greens have today written to the Auditor General asking for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the gross mismanagement of the Green Loans Scheme by Minister Peter Garrett and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

"The Green Loans Scheme is an excellent idea that has turned into an utter debacle through gross mismanagement by Peter Garrett's department," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.

"We Greens have been parliament's strongest advocates for household energy efficiency upgrades and the Green Loans Scheme is based on a Greens' 2007 election initiative.

"Energy efficiency upgrades save householders money, reduce emissions and create thousands of green jobs and small businesses.

"Whether because of incompetence, lack of interest or deliberate design, the Green Loans Scheme has now joined the rooftop solar program, the insulation roll-out and the Renewable Energy Target as strong programs gone badly wrong.

"The Auditor General should immediately investigate how the Green Loans Scheme went so badly wrong."

Allegations sent to Senator Milne and forwarded to the Auditor General include:

• failure to adhere to the promised 1,000 -2,000 limit on the number of assessors;
• failure to deliver on the promised online booking mechanism, and failure to provide or oversee the interim call centre booking process;
• failure to administer the conditions the Federal Government placed on its own program regarding conflicts of interest;
• failure to exercise quality control and due diligence in relation to the standard of training provided to prospective assessors, and the quality of assessments provided to consumers;
• failure to implement an audit facility within the program; and
• favouritism and discriminatory practises relating to access to work through the program.

"The government's failure to limit the number of accredited home sustainability assessors, and the preference it has given to large corporates, is destroying job security and undermining the viability of many small businesses.

"A program expected to last until 2013 is likely to achieve its 360,000 assessments next month.

"The government has once again massively underestimated community enthusiasm to get behind action on climate change and the transformation to a low carbon economy and green jobs.

"It is well past time the Prime Minister took his lead from the community instead of caving in to polluters and holding the community back."