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

on the quote provided to the householders. On 28 October the minister wrote to me to indicate the actions he intended to take in response. These included requiring householders to get two quotes and to publish a public list of deregistered installers. On 29 October, I responded to this letter agreeing to the minister’s proposal to tighten the guidelines.

On 30 October Minister Garrett wrote to me in relation to safety issues in the Home Insulation Program. The letter proposed to roll out an electrical safety testing program for homes that had had foil insulation and proposed a ban on metal fasteners and proposed to mandate the use of covers over down lights and other ceiling appliances.

On 2 November 2009, I replied to the minister noting the package of safety measures he had proposed and from 2 November 2009, under the Home Insulation Program, metal fasteners for foil insulation were banned. Installation of covers over down lights and other ceiling appliances were mandated. The government announced it was implementing a target electrical safety program.

The further part of the honourable members question goes to a further letter on the part of the then minister, Minister Garrett. A letter from Mr Garrett dated 14 August 2009 was a proposal for increased compliance requirements for the HIP and it is a cabinet document which was considered by a cabinet committee on 17 August 2009.

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