Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Is the minister aware that an insulation factory in my electorate, which is accredited under the government’s Energy Efficient Homes package has been the subject of numerous complaints and is headed by an undischarged bankrupt, who has apparently fled Bundaberg? Will the minister advise the House how such an operator received government accreditation and whether there are any other similar operators on the government’s register?

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I did see the newspaper articles that he refers to concerning that particular installer in the Bundaberg area. I can confirm to the House and to the member that, to go on the register, it is a requirement of installers that they confirm they are privy to and understand all of the responsibilities that are necessary for proper accreditation as installers under the guidelines. On that basis, if there are any instances of installers who are in fact not observing the guidelines then we want to know about it, my office wants to know about it and the department also wants to know about it. There is a 1800 number that is available—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I give credit to the member for Hinkler. He is listening to the answer; the minister is responding to the question. The minister has the call.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have thought that the House would have appreciated the opportunity to know that there are many means by which either members of this House or members of the public can be advised on whether there are difficulties in relation to the installation of ceiling insulation under the government’s plan. I make these additional points to the member for Hinkler. The first is that we have a robust compliance and monitoring program underway in order to ascertain whether there are any instalments—

Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Energy and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How do you get a gangster doing it?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Canning will leave the chamber for one hour. That was a very regrettable statement.

The member for Canning then left the chamber.

Damian Hale (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hale interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Solomon will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

The member for Solomon then left the chamber.

The minister has the call. He will be heard in silence.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will be checking tens of thousands of installations to ensure that they fulfil the requirements of the guidelines. I have asked my department to write to every single homeowner who has currently received ceiling insulation under this program to inquire whether any issues came about as a consequence of the installation.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister is responding to the question.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My department has also written to installers reminding them of their particular obligations under the guidelines. Finally, I make this point to the member: I have also asked my department to specifically investigate the matter that he has raised in question time in relation to the installer in Bundaberg and report back to me by the close of business today.

And I want to add something more here—now that I have had the opportunity to answer the question that was put to me in some detail by the member—and that is that those opposite opposed putting ceiling insulation into the homes of Australians who want to reduce their energy costs and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was the member for North Sydney specifically who opposed the fact that we thought that one way of getting jobs into regional communities would be to give people the opportunity to have ceiling insulation and to build local business at the same time.

Over 180,000 householders have taken the opportunity to have ceiling insulation in their roofs. Not only are they satisfying the obligations that they have to want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but they are reducing their energy costs as well. This is a program that is working extremely well. If there are any issues that need to be addressed, we will address them in a vigorous and assertive manner.