In the years leading up to 2015, Australia's solar energy sector was booming. Federal and state government subsidies had made residential solar panel installations attractive to homeowners across the country. Most solar installation companies were legitimate. Some were not. International Solar Solutions appears to have been one of the latter.
The Convictions: What the Record Shows
On 17 July 2015, Adrian James Campbell was convicted in the Southport Magistrates Court of five charges under the Australian Consumer Law. The charges related to accepting payment and failing to supply goods or services in connection with the conduct of his business, "International Solar Solutions."
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 July 2015 |
| Court | Southport Magistrates Court, Queensland |
| Business | International Solar Solutions |
| Charges | 5 × ACL — accepting payment, failing to supply |
| Fine | $10,000 |
| Restitution | $18,355 |
Understanding the Charges
The relevant provision of the Australian Consumer Law makes it a criminal offence for a person in trade or commerce to accept payment for goods or services and then fail to supply those goods or services within the agreed time, or within a reasonable time.
Five separate charges suggest a pattern that extended across multiple transactions and multiple customers. This is not a single error or oversight.
Campbell's Initial Denial — Then Correction
What makes the 2015 convictions particularly significant is Campbell's initial response when the question of his criminal history was raised in Federal Court proceedings in 2026. In his affidavit of 11 May 2026, Campbell told the court: "I was not involved in any case in 2018 or any other time and ordered to pay fines and compensation for $500,000 or any amount of money" and "I have never been convicted for any criminal offence."
These statements were false. In a corrected affidavit filed three months later, Campbell acknowledged the 2015 convictions.
The Solar Industry Context
The solar installation industry during this period was characterised by rapid growth and, in some segments, inadequate regulation. Some operators used the subsidy environment to oversell capacity they could not deliver, collect deposits from customers, and default on delivery when funds had been spent.
Lesson for investors: An ASIC director search that traces all company associations for an individual — not just their current company — is essential. International Solar Solutions in 2015; Eco Boss in 2018; Kinnara Capital in the 2020s. Different names, different sectors, same documented individual.
Source: This article draws on publicly available court records including the judgment of Justice Derrington in Campbell v McIntyre (No 2) [2026] FCA 1279, conviction records confirmed by Adrian James Campbell in a corrected affidavit filed 10 August 2026, and the book Fraud Records and Scam Warnings: The Adrian James Campbell Case Files by Evan Mercer (2026). Nothing in this article constitutes legal or financial advice.