Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The scheme was always due to close on 30 June this year. Some provision was made in the forward estimates, I would assume, because, like other subsidy programs, some provision is made for claims that are effected after 30 June. As is now evident, the government has decided to manage claims in the lead-up to 30 June through the announcement that the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency made yesterday.

On ongoing support for the solar hot water industry, it is an important industry and it is employing Australians, and so, of course, like all Australian jobs, they are very important to us. After 30 June, the solar hot water industry will be supported by the very fact there is a carbon price. It will be supported by the renewable energy certificate system. As I have indicated, it is also possible under the Low Carbon Communities Program for solar hot water to be one of the measures that is supported in order to make low-income communities better able to make the transition to a lower carbon future.

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