Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

There you go. It has been an issue that has been traversed at estimates on a number of occasions, Senator Troeth. I am advised that, under the Green Loans Program, the government is providing sustainability assessments for up to 360,000 households free of charge and loans of up to $10,000 with no interest payments for up to 75,000 households through participating financial institutions. The program commenced with a national rollout on 1 July 2009. I do have some information on the number of people registered for assessments. As at Friday, 20 November, I am advised that some 88,282 people had registered for assessments, 57,120 assessments have been completed and more assessments are being undertaken as the program is rolled out, and 32,100 assessment reports have been sent out. I am also advised that, as further reports are generated by assessors, they will be sent out to householders.

The advice I have is that verbal advice has been received from financial partners which indicates that, as at 20 November 2009, they had received over 900 applications for green loans. Obviously, the government does not approve green loans per se. Households with valid assessment reports are free to approach participating financial institutions to apply for loans provided they meet lending— (Time expired)