Following our investigation, an electrician in South Australia has been convicted and fined for providing false or misleading documents in the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
Liam Sheppard pleaded guilty to charges relating to 62 solar photovoltaic system installations. Mr Sheppard falsely claimed to have installed or supervised these installations. In doing so, he submitted false or misleading small-scale technology certificate assignment forms, along with certificates of electrical safety, to registered agents. The agents relied on this information to improperly create certificates for these installations.
On 3 April 2025, after more than 3 years of legal proceedings, Mr Sheppard was convicted and received a reduced fine of $3,500 due to his personal circumstances. Mr Sheppard likely incurred costs associated with his legal representation. Receiving such a conviction can severely damage professional reputation and future career prospects. Additionally, it may lead to loss of licenses, exclusion from industry associations, restrictions on international travel and diminished trust from clients.
Registered agents, installers and designers have significant compliance obligations under the SRES. We will continue to monitor and enforce those obligations to ensure scheme integrity.
We have zero tolerance for fraud. Those who don't comply with their obligations will see enforcement action taken against them where it is warranted under our compliance, education and enforcement policy.
We encourage scheme participants and the public to report fraud or wrongdoing in our schemes. You can make these reports anonymously using our online reporting tool or by emailing referrals@cer.gov.au.