In short:
A Sydney solar company has collapsed, leaving large numbers of customers furious after they paid hefty deposits for battery systems under a multi-billion-dollar federal government scheme.
asserted
they → collapse → scheme
The ABC previously revealed allegations of rorting and misconduct under the same scheme.
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ABC → reveal → scheme
Consumer advocates are calling for an urgent increase to protections, oversight and regulation.
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advocates → call → protections
Murray Wylie was fed up after shelling out a $5,000 deposit for a solar battery system in February which Macarthur Solar had still not installed by August.
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Solar → feed → August
The company continued to reassure him, but Mr Wylie had doubts.
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Wylie → continue → doubts
In late August he drove to Macarthur's south-west Sydney office.
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he → drive → office
But on arrival he was confronted by locked doors and a deserted office.
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he → confront → doors
"I was angry because the thoughts that were building up had come true.
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that → build → ?
I wasn't going to get my battery," he said.
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he → go → battery
"You feel like you're being ripped off."
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you → feel → ?
Macarthur Solar's underlying company, Macarthur Energy, had gone bust.
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company → underlie → ?
It was founded in 2015 by Mathew Cox, a local electrician.
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It → found → Cox
The ABC spoke to eight Macarthur customers who fear they have lost large deposits for solar and battery installations that never arrived, ranging between $1,500 and $17,600.
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that → speak → 1,500
Many signed up with Macarthur Solar after being attracted by a generous federal government subsidy, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program (CHBP).
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Many → sign → subsidy
The program sparked unprecedented demand, with more than 530,000 batteries installed since July 2025 at an estimated cost of more than $7.2 billion over four years.
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batteries → spark → years
Macarthur's customers were charged 50 per cent up-front, far above what's considered industry standard.
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what → charge → front
NSW home building laws limit deposits to 10 per cent and leading solar and consumer advocates say the higher deposits may have breached those laws.
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deposits → limit → laws
The state's Building Commission confirmed it was investigating after receiving more than 100 complaints.
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it → confirm → complaints
Macarthur Energy owes almost $3.4 million to more than 79 unsecured creditors, including former customers and suppliers, according to a report by liquidator Daniel Soire of Jones Partners.
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Energy → owe → Partners
Sixteen former employees are also seriously out of pocket, owed more than $420,000 for superannuation, annual leave and redundancy payments.
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employees → owe → superannuation
Consumer and solar advocates say Macarthur Solar's collapse highlights glaring holes in protections.
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collapse → say → protections
"The current system is absolutely failing consumers," said Andy Kelly, Choice's director of consumer impact.
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Kelly → fail → impact
'Seemed fair dinkum'
Mr Wylie had rooftop panels but got in touch with Macarthur because he was thinking about adding a battery.
They came to his house for a consultation.
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They → seem → consultation
"They seemed fair dinkum," he said.
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he → seem → ?
When Mr Wylie checked in at the office about when his install would happen he was told to be patient.
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he → check → office
In June, the company changed the battery he would get.
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he → change → battery
Eventually, he was told it would be installed at the end of August, but that never happened.
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that → tell → August
Mark Barnes paid a deposit of $6,500 that he fears he would not get back.
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he → pay → that
"We signed a contract in good faith and got nothing," he said.
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he → sign → nothing
Mr Barnes has now paid another installer for solar panels and a battery system, meaning he has paid twice.
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he → pay → panels
The loss means the retiree, who is on a part-pension, has been left with less money to spend on his grandkids.
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who → mean → grandkids
Mr Barnes handed his money over in December.
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Barnes → hand → December
However, he claims the company was repeatedly "stalling".
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company → claim → ?
In May he called the battery system's supplier for help, which prompted a call from the owner Mathew Cox, and eventually led to a commitment to install the system in July.
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which → call → July
That came and went, so he chased Mr Cox, but says he stopped responding.
Mr Barnes demanded a refund and lodged a complaint with the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), the state's small claims tribunal, however the company went into liquidation before his case was finalised.
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case → come → liquidation
The ABC has seen three NCAT and court orders secured by other customers against Macarthur Energy ordering repayment for amounts between $1,600 and $17,600.
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Energy → see → amounts
Former staff members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were concerned sales had soared off the back of the CHBP, while installation wait times had blown out by many months.
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times → speak → months
The warehouse was often short of stock and customers were coming into the office to demand answers, they said.
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they → come → answers
They also claimed Mr Cox made reassurances to staff and customers which were not always kept.
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which → claim → staff
Those impacted by the collapse questioned how long the company was struggling financially.
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company → impact → collapse
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia