The Sunshine State’s 300,000+ solar households stand accused of driving up electricity prices and living large on the backs of poorer households. That’s not only unfair and inaccurate, but it betrays a complete failure to engage with the real challenges facing electricity generation.

Despite Energy Minister Mark McArdle’s 23 media releases since coming to office that put the boot into solar households, these households should be commended for helping with the inevitable transition to clean energy generation at considerable upfront expense to themselves.

Instead, they have suffered prolonged public criticism and ongoing threats that the LNP will look at further unspecified measures to contain the scheme’s costs when it responds to the Queensland Competition Authority‘s (QCA) report in a couple of weeks.

The State Government has reduced the tariff paid to households that joined the scheme after 9 July 2012 so that they only receive 8c/kw for electricity fed into the grid while paying over 28c for the electricity they purchase from the grid.

But solar households should not be intimidated or apologetic as they have not had a fair trial. Here is the case for the accused: