Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib. How many homes have an electrified roof from foil insulation installed under the Home Insulation Program, often by unqualified and untrained workers?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the good senator for her question. Minister Combet is the minister responsible for the remediation issues that are taking place within the former insulation project. Minister Combet has provided a ministerial statement which mentioned the issues and also mentioned the work that has been undertaken. The government has expanded its proactive and targeted risk based safety inspection program to a minimum of 150,000 homes with non-foil insulation installed under the HIP.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Arbib, continue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course, as has been stated numerous times by Minister Combet and also the Prime Minister an urgent insulation inspection program is underway that prioritises households where there are significant concerns about safety. The government’s Foil Insulation Safety Program will offer 50,000 homes that have had foil installed under the HIP a safety inspection and the option of having the foil removed or, with the advice of a licensed electrician, of having safety switches installed.

Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order to do with relevance. My question was: how many homes have an electrified roof?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I believe the minister is answering the question. The minister has 46 seconds remaining.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying that is why the government is undertaking inspections and we are offering the 50,000 homes that had foil installed under the HIP a safety inspection.

Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Today I got a letter from the Prime Minister declining my invitation that he give evidence to the Senate committee inquiring into this matter. He declined on the basis that this parliamentary question time is the appropriate forum for him and you, Minister, to answer questions of this nature. Why was the environment committee told at budget estimates that 19 roofs of a small sample of roofs were found live when the real number is clearly much higher? Minister, do as promised by the Prime Minister: face up, fess up—what is the real number?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I find that question quite unbelievable. I sat through two days of Senate estimates and Senator Fisher was 10 metres in front of me and guess how many questions she asked me on insulation? Zero questions on insulation. Let me tell you how many questions she asked on the insulation workers package. Have a guess at how many questions she asked.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I draw your attention to the question, Senator Arbib.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President, zero questions on the workers.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Arbib! I am drawing your attention to the question. Are you finished answering the question?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I am waiting for silence so that Senator Fisher can ask her question.

Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. After the deaths of four installers and 174 house fires, 18 in the last 21 days—that is almost one a day—why won’t the government do as bid by Melbourne’s fire chief, Ian Hunter, and commit to inspecting every one of the 1.1 million homes insulated under the bungled and botched Home Insulation Program?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said earlier on this very serious issue the government has expanded its proactive and targeted risk based safety inspection program to a minimum of 150,000 homes with non-foil insulation. Also a dedicated safety hotline has been established for households that are concerned about the safety of their foil or non-foil insulation installed under HIP and has been in operation since February. Households can call the number 1417—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Arbib resume your seat. Order!

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The department is organising rectification work where there is a fire or electrical safety risk identified within an inspection report associated with insulation installed under the household insulation program.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.