But renewable energy groups and electrical associations have played down claims aired on the ABC that there are potentially 2000 houses that could catch fire because of the wrong circuit-breaker being installed with the panels.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the Environment Department was now in discussions with solar industry groups about further checks for rooftop panels if needed.

Clean Energy Council chief executive Matthew Warren said that there had been no fires in Australia connected with rooftop solar panels.

Mr Warren said solar panels that did not meet Australian standards were being brought into Australia, as no import restrictions exist - but under the now-axed $8000 rebate for rooftop solar panels dodgy imports could not be installed under the rules of the program.

The Clean Energy Council performed 200 audits on rooftop solar installations last year, with errors found in 3 per cent of households.

Mr Warren said while any increase in auditing by the government would be welcome, the solar industry had a strong safety record and households should not be concerned.

Philip Green, the Victorian chief executive of the National Electrical and Communications Association, also backed Mr Warren's comments.

But Dean Mighell, Victorian secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, said auditing was not enough. He called on Environment Minister Peter Garrett to create an umbrella advisory body including electricians and unions to ensure better regulation. ''I do believe that solar installations, the way they are carried out could lead to fatalities and fires,'' he said.

The solar claims come as Mr Rudd admitted there were problems with the $2.45 billion insulation rebate program.Four people had died working under the scheme since October last year.

''Let's just call a spade a spade: there are problems with the implementation of this program,'' he said. ''But the key thing is to make sure we get the safety right, we get the implementation right, and we do it right for the future.''

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said yesterday ''every day we learn of another disaster,'' and repeated his calls for Mr Garrett to resign.

Mr Garrett yesterday cancelled a speech he was due to give at the Australian National University on biodiversity to instead attend a meeting on the insulation program.

With ADAM MORTON