Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the disastrous consequences of fast-tracking his original home insulation scheme. If the new scheme is to be fast-tracked in the same way as the old scheme, and under the same minister, what confidence can the Australian people have that this new solution will be any safer than the original scheme that led to the deaths of four young men, 93 house fires, 48,000 potentially electrified roofs and 240,000 bodgie installations?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, which deals in part with fire-related incidents. Could I draw his attention to the following advice that I have received. That is, before this scheme was introduced, in three states of Australia in the year 2008 there were some 83 insulation related fires. That represented 0.12 per cent of houses experiencing a fire—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The question has been asked, the Prime Minister is responding to the question, the House will come to order.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The question went in part to the relative danger associated with insulation and the link between that and fires, and it went to a range of other matters as well. In response to the Leader of the Opposition’s question, I am advised that in 2008, before the scheme, the percentage of houses experiencing fire related incidents was 0.12 per cent. In 2009, the percentage of houses experiencing a fire as a result of insulation related causes was 0.0085 per cent. Each one of these fire related incidents is one incident too many. Furthermore, whether it is in 2008, 2009 or 2010, the question of household safety is of fundamental importance, the question of industrial safety is of fundamental importance and, of course, the question of workers’ safety is of fundamental importance.

The second part of the Leader of the Opposition’s question goes to the proposed household renewable energy rebate scheme which the government has indicated would be introduced by 1 June this year. The reason the government is spending the period between now and then working through the guidelines associated with that scheme is to deal with the risk management challenges associated with it. The advice that we have from officials is that that represents an appropriate period of time to work that through. As the minister has indicated, there are a number of reputable firms out there who have been engaged in this industry for a long, long time, and therefore it is important that it be possible for re-registered firms who have a long and safe history in this industry to be able to access the possibility of support through the new scheme prior to 1 June. These are the measures which were referred to yesterday. These are the measures which we propose to engage in in the period ahead.

I conclude my answer to the Leader of the Opposition by saying that it is important to deal with each and every practical challenge which has arisen through the implementation of this program, one of which goes to the impact on workers, which we spoke about yesterday.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

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

Order! The member for Sturt will withdraw.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In dealing with the practical challenges which arise from the implementation of the scheme, we must deal with the problems which arise for workers who are in danger of losing their jobs or who have lost their jobs because of the cancellation of the scheme—which I note was called for by a number of parties around the country, including those opposite. Secondly, we must deal with the challenges which arise for good, bona fide firms out there seeking to provide decent work for their employees. Thirdly, we must also deal with the uncertainties faced by households. The government have embarked on actions in each of these three areas. We intend to deal with each of the challenges as they arise.