HUNDREDS of local home owners and businesses who thought they were doing the right thing for the environment by installing rooftop solar panels have contacted state MPs protesting at the O’Farrell Government’s broken promise to honour previous government commitments.

Many signed contracts to pay off the panels based on the former government’s commitment that they would be paid 60 cents a kilowatt-hour for the electricity produced and are furious at the new government’s move to retrospectively change legislation to pay them only 40 cents a kilowatt-hour.

State MPs, Geoff Provest in the seat of Tweed and Thomas George in the seat of Lismore, have been in the firing line from the Northern Rivers residents, the keenest in the state to embrace the scheme.

“I’ve emailed Thomas George and everyone,” said retired Murwillumbah resident Bernie Connolly, who is angry that pensioners like himself are unable to “weasel out” of contracts, but the government plans retrospective legislation to alter its commitment.

“I talked a lot of my friends into it because I could see the value eventually.

“To me it was a contract.

"There was a 10-day cooling off period as well.”

Yesterday Mr Connolly joined thousands of others who have signed a petition at www.feedintariff.com.au calling for a standard national tariff of 80 cents a kilowatt hour for households supplying solar electricity

North Coast Liberal Party member of the Upper House, Catherine Cusack this week called for a Coalition party room meeting next Tuesday to discuss the Government’s decision to slash the rate paid which she described as a “betrayal”.

“There is a major issue of integrity at stake,” her letter to Premier O’Farrell said.