- From: The Australian
- July 10, 2010
ENVIRONMENTAL assessors are demanding answers from the government about its new Green Start program.
They want to know how much work will be available and whether it will pay compensation to those left with no work.
The new program was announced this week to replace the Green Loans scheme, which was axed after three damning reports uncovered widespread compliance breaches, budget blowouts, poor management and possible staff kickbacks.
Asked yesterday whether the government would respond to opposition demands to call in the Australian Federal Police to investigate alleged staff corruption under the dumped scheme, a spokeswoman for the Climate Change Department said the issue was being examined by the department.
If necessary, “follow-up action” would be taken.
Association of Building Sustainability Assessors chairman Wayne Floyd said environmental assessors had been badly affected by the Green Loans scheme, and there was much confusion about how the new program would work.
Mr Floyd said he did not know how much funding would be made available for grants under the new Green Start scheme, how many assessors would be needed and how much work would be available.
He said he supported the new scheme, which would fund household energy assessments in a more rigorous way than the dumped Green Loans program.
Mr Floyd said thousands of assessors, who had paid for training and accreditation to participate in the Green Loans program but then missed out on any work, also wanted to know whether they would receive compensation