MEA chief executive Malcolm Richards predicted the lure of government cash would bring a wave of new service providers into the television antenna business, just as the pink batts scheme did.

“We don’t need any further proof that the promise of easy government money will bring out all the shonks and shysters chasing a quick buck, and it doesn’t get any easier than simply filling out an on-line form in order to achieve your qualifications,”Malcolm says.

“We’ve already seen the tragic results of untrained workers moving around in the ceiling space as part of a generous government scheme.

“Workers in a ceiling space need to deal with threats from electrical fittings, asbestos, vermin and heat, and they need to be properly trained and supported. In order to do that, they need the right training.

“People who rush to market in order to take advantage of the new scheme will probably not be providing the necessary training for their workers.

“Our concern is that, as happened with the insulation scheme, long-standing, legitimate businesses will be sidelined in the allocation of work. Those who have spent a large amount of time and money training their staff and acquiring the right equipment will be squeezed out by people who have gained their qualifications on the government’s website.

“The result will be injuries and possibly deaths of untrained workers, and the collapse of businesses that try to do the right thing but simply can’t compete with the shonks.”

Mr Richards called on the Federal Government to ensure all workers employed to fit TV aerials had been properly trained in both the technical and safety aspects of the work.

“We also have concerns about the potential for rip-offs, with operators talking elderly home owners into upgrades they simply don’t need just because it’s paid for by the government.

“While using long-standing businesses is no guarantee against this, it stands to reason that people who have done the necessary industry-based competencies training and are committed to a long-term future in the industry are going to provide a more honest service to customers than fly-by-night operators.”