Garrett in damage control over Green Loans

Peter Garrett's announcement this morning of an external audit into the Green Loans Scheme is a thinly disguised move to take pressure off his department during Senate Estimates hearings today and avert the threat of an Auditor General's investigation.

"After pretending for months that nothing was wrong, Minister Garrett is now in damage control over the Green Loans debacle," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.

"Minister Garrett's office has been inundated with complaints about this scheme for months, but it is only under the shadow of a prospective Auditor General's investigation and Senate Estimates hearings that the Minister has finally engaged.

"It is breathtaking that, on the 9th of February, the Minister says he 'will not hesitate to make any changes necessary' to ensure the scheme's effective roll-out.

"Where have you been, Minister? The changes have been necessary for months.

"Thousands of people invested their savings in setting up small businesses based on Mr Garrett's promises and his mismanagement is now leaving them high and dry.

"Ministerial responsibility demands that a Minister is responsible for the appropriate implementation of government policies. That includes auditing of a program like this from day one, and making changes in a timely manner to avoid complete disarray.

"Ministerial responsibility is not about pretending nothing is wrong and then spinning rapidly into damage control after the fact.

"The Green Loans Scheme is an excellent idea that has turned into an utter debacle through gross mismanagement by Peter Garrett's department. It is his responsibility to fix it.

"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."

Senator Milne last week wrote to the Auditor General requesting an immediate investigation into allegations regarding the Green Loans Scheme. She will be asking questions of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts later today.