The Government today announced a series of changes to the administration of the environmental programs to boost safety and improve environmental performance.

These changes are aimed at boosting safety for households and safety for the workers whose employment is funded by these important environmental programs.

The changes announced by the Government today include:

    * The establishment of a new household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme to replace the Home Insulation Program and the Solar Hot Water Rebate.
    * Significant changes to the Green Loans scheme to boost the effectiveness and sustainability of the scheme.

The changes announced today will ensure the Government continues to help households and businesses contribute to Australia’s efforts to transition to a low carbon economy.

The changes announced today put householders back in charge of the environmental products installed in their home.

These changes will benefit good green businesses and are bad for the shonky operators who have begun exploiting this market.

A new household Renewable Energy Bonus scheme:
A new household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme will assist households save money on power bills and reduce their carbon emissions.

This new Scheme will replace the Home Insulation Program and the Solar Hot Water Rebate Program both of which have been discontinued as of close of business today.

The Government’s focus is on the safety of households and tradespeople who will both benefit from the operation of this new scheme.

Under the household Renewable Energy Bonus scheme households will be able to receive a rebate for the installation of ceiling insulation or a solar hot water system or a heat pump.

$1000 rebates will be available for ceiling installation and solar hot water systems and $600 rebates for heat pump systems.

The new rebate for solar hot water systems and heat pumps will be available for systems installed after today.

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