The Victorian Public Tenants Association (VPTA) welcomes news that the Government’s Solar Rebates Scheme will return on 1 July 2019, and for the first time, be available to those who rent.
The VPTA seeks urgent assurances from Minister’s D’Ambrosio and Wynne that the program will also be accessible to those in public housing.
Victoria’s public housing tenants represent some of the lowest income households in the State. As a result, they are disproportionately impacted by the skyrocketing cost of power bills.
A large number of public housing dwellings were constructed many decades ago, and as a result are very inefficient to either heat or cool.
Public housing tenants, who are more likely to be elderly or live with disability, are sweltering through summer and freezing through winter. Many are faced with the heartbreaking choice of whether to eat, visit a doctor, fill a script, or heat and cool their homes.
Public housing tenants cannot afford to miss out on these savings.
The VPTA calls on the Government to ensure public housing tenants are able to participate in the Solar Rebates Scheme, and also to commit to installing solar panels on every one of the 1,000 new public housing properties that they have committed to build in the Budget.
Mark Feenane, Executive Officer of the VPTA said:
“Public housing tenants must be included in the Solar Rebates Scheme – it’s simply a matter of fairness.
“Public housing tenants represent some of the lowest income households in the State, and they are disproportionately impacted by unaffordable electricity bills.
“Going forward, the VPTA is asking the Government to commit to installing solar panels on every new public housing property that is built.”