Rudds plane breaks down

[Craig Lindsay]

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had to hitch a ride to Brisbane on Sunday after his official jet broke down in a remote area of Queensland.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh took pity on the Prime Minister and offered him a lift in her plane, but about eight of his staff had to remain behind at Windorah in the state's south-west, where he and Ms Bligh had inspected a solar farm.

An alarm on the Prime Minister's official plane had activated and prevented the aircraft from starting.

It will remain at Windorah until Royal Australian Air Force mechanics can be brought in.

The Prime Minister arrived in Brisbane about 2.30pm while his stranded staff were offered cars to travel to Longreach by the mayor of Barcoo Shire.

Mr Rudd and Ms Bligh were in Windorah to announce that a $500 million renewable energy fund to kick-start clean power plants across Australia would be brought forward.

The fund, originally to be spent over six years starting in 2009, will instead be invested over 18 months from 2009.

Mr Rudd will unveil the Federal Government's white paper on the carbon pollution reduction scheme on Monday in Canberra.

from AAP. Didnt see it anywhere else in the media