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

Mr Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the latest victim injured through the government’s home insulation scheme, 80-year-old Melbourne grandmother Edith Preston, who was forced to defend her burning home with buckets of water. This brings the total number of house fires caused by this failed program to 146. I ask: why does criticism of the Prime Minister justify a $38 million advertising campaign when a home insulation scheme linked to the deaths of four Australians, 146 house fires and countless dodgy insulations does not?

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. The government regrets very much the information concerning that most recent incident in Melbourne. Furthermore, the government has acknowledged on many occasions that there have been mistakes made in the implementation of the insulation program. That is why the relevant minister is now conducting an extensive inspection program across both foil insulation and a large number of houses with non-foil insulation. The government intends to work closely with the industry and households in dealing with the problems that have arisen.