The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has confirmed that a New South Wales man has been convicted and fined after pleading guilty to multiple offences relating to fraudulent claims under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
The CER said Craig Burmeister had earlier this month pleaded guilty before the Wagga Wagga Local Court and been convicted of two offences of giving information derived from false documents and nine offences of procuring others to give information derived from false documents.
The regulator said Burmeister, who was not accredited to design or install solar systems at the time, had “procured other accredited installers and his employees to sign off on and claim small-scale technology certificates (STCs) for installations he himself completed.”
Under the SRES, STCs can only be claimed when the installation is carried out or supervised by an accredited installer.
The CER said “procuring others to commit fraud does not shield individuals from prosecution, as those who assist or encourage an offence are treated as having committed the offence themselves.”
The Wagga Wagga Local Court handed Burmeister a criminal conviction for each of the 11 offences, fined him $5,500, and order he complete 200 hours of community service.
Burmeister was on a good behaviour bond when the offences occurred, having been convicted in 2019 for providing false information in respect to eight solar system installations.
The Magistrate noted that Burmeister’s offending undermined the integrity and effectiveness of the SRES, and in doing so causes a greater regulatory burden on other scheme participants.
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