Renewable energy rorts

Those solar roof panels are no more then a subsidy to the rich: (h/t Catallaxy Files) I hope Barry O'Farrell buts a stop to this nonsense.

Meanwhile another Gillard cabinet minister (not Ferguson) told me: "Large sections of Australia's rich are engaged in a conspiracy to screw the poor in the name of saving the planet."

He was talking about feed-in tariffs, a classic rort. They are applied to a better or worse (usually worse) extent in most states and function as a regressive tax. Under this policy high income earners are subsidised to supply renewable energy to the grid from their installed solar panels.

Where is the rort worse?

Exactly where you would expect: in the Australian Capital Territory, home of income re-distribution towards the better-off in the name of clean energy. Indeed, it is calculated that wealthy Canberrans will receive a 900 per cent subsidy for every kilowatt hour of electricity they supply to the grid. Yes, this is the socially progressive Labor Party in action.