Guy Barnett Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee
2:23 pm
Mr President, my question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib. Given the minister yesterday stated:
Every time advice was provided to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts on issues and problems in relation to the implementation of that program—
the Home Insulation Program—
the minister acted and brought in tougher guidelines ...
and given that Minister Garrett received 21 warnings, can the minister detail the alleged 21 changes the minister made and the dates on which the changes were made?
Mark Arbib NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery
I did say yesterday that the minister had acted when required to act—
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
No, ‘each time’.
Nick Minchin SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
‘Every time’.
John Hogg President
Order! Senator Arbib, ignore the interjections. Continue your answer.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
Interjections are disorderly. There is time to debate this at the end of question time.
Mark Arbib NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery
Mr President, obviously I do not have all of the information that Senator Barnett seeks, but I am happy to take that on notice.
Guy Barnett Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I am sorry that the minister does not have that information with him. When was the issue of the metal staples being a danger first raised with the minister? When did the government respond?
Mark Arbib NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery
Mr President, I do not represent the minister for the environment, so I do not have that information with me, but I am happy to take that question on notice and try to find out that information.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Senators:
Honourable senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
Order! I need silence on both sides. Senator Barnett, I will give you the call when there is silence. You are entitled to be heard in silence.
Guy Barnett Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee
Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I am only referring to quotes that the minister provided to this chamber yesterday. How soon after the issues of fire danger and electrocution were first raised did the government act to mitigate those risks?
Mark Arbib NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery
Mr President, these are detailed questions of the minister for the environment.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Guy Barnett Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee
Mr President, I rise on a point of order. It was in relation to the personal knowledge of Minister Arbib with respect to the question of how soon after the issues of fire danger and electrocution were first raised did the government act to mitigate those risks.
John Hogg President
There is no point of order at this stage because Senator Arbib is answering the question. I cannot instruct the minister how to answer the question. If the minister has indicated to you that he is taking that on notice, I cannot force the minister to answer the question in a particular way. Senator Arbib, is there anything further that you have to answer the question?
Mark Arbib NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery
No.