The Queensland government has lost an appeal to uphold its solar regulations after Queensland’s Court of Appeal ruled the laws, which require licensed electricians to install panels in solar farms, invalid.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace says the regulations were important to protect the safety of electrical workers and denied regional jobs had been threatened by the laws.
Opposition energy spokesman Michael Hart says the regulations were flawed and rushed, and would have forced solar companies to fly in electricians from capital cities instead of using local workers.