Solar supporters rejoiced after the Western Australian State Government yesterday reversed its decision to slash the feed in tariff rate for tens of thousands of solar households.
“Quite simply, we got this decision wrong and we have to fix it,” Premier Colin Barnett said in a short statement.
“We understand that this measure would have had an unfair impact on one section of the community and it has to be reversed.”
Within hours of the original decision to slash the incentive, solar households and supporters mobilized. Mainstream and social media was buzzing with condemnation. A Solar Citizens petition was launched that very quickly attracted over 9,000 signatures protesting the reduction.
Even within the State Government’s ranks, there was dissent. Overall, the backlash was such that it had the potential to impact results in the Federal Election.
“Barnett, and all Australian Governments and political parties, should take this lesson: solar owners are not just lovers of solar power,” said Solar Citizens’ Dr Geoff Evans. “They are voters who bite back when threatened by bad policy.”
“We will continue to keep an eye on WA and ensure that the Barnett government doesn’t attempt to undermine the rights of solar owners in other ways or to hold back the energy of the future.”
The Sustainable Energy Association’s Kirsten Rose echoed the lesson.
“Our hope is that this will further reinforce to governments — in WA, across Australia, and globally — the high level of public support for renewable energy.”
The Clean Energy Council also welcomed the reversal.
“Retrospective changes to policy undermines public trust in the government” said Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green. “The government was quick to acknowledge that it had made the wrong decision, and you can’t ask for more than that.”
However, others might say more could be asked for – such as not making such rash and poor decisions in the first place; particularly when it involves reneging on commitments and where there is historical precedent as to the outcome. The New South Wales government attempted a similar stunt in 2011 – and with the same result.
While the worst of the political fallout and perhaps a major legal battle may have been avoided, an often posed question in the lead-up to the Federal Election may still float in the minds of voters with solar power systems in Western Australia and elsewhere: “who can you trust?”
