Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Would the Prime Minister explain to the group of fired insulation workers seen on the front page of the Gold Coast Bulletin why they have lost their jobs despite your so-called solution yet the discredited and failed Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts keeps his job?

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. The decision by the government to abolish the Home Insulation Program was in the first instance called for by those opposite as well as others in the country. Secondly, I say to the honourable member in response to his question that, that decision having been taken and with the employment consequences and industry consequences flowing, those opposite now talk about the employment consequences as if it has been a continuing concern of theirs. I also say in response to the honourable member’s question that the package of measures announced around the insulation workers assistance plan yesterday applies to all employees of the industry. The government, in embracing the measures that we took forward through the nation-building and stimulus strategy generally, had the interest of employment and job creation at its heart.

Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the front page of the Bulletin.

Leave not granted.