Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Public Security and Policing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Jacqui and Alex Qureitem have been trying to get help from the government to fix their roof insulation problem since February this year. Getting nowhere with helplines, Jacqui and Alex approached my office on 3 March with a letter, part of which I will read out:

I’ve been trying to get help or even some information to ease our mind. As you know, since Mr Rudd has announced the free insulation we have been bombarded by people knocking at our door and even ringing us all the time. On the 14 January, two men knocked at our door and insisted that we have to do it because the house is about 15 years old and it is free and the government will pay for it.

I wish I didn’t listen to them and agree to do it. It was a big, big mistake. On Saturday the 16th January they arrive about 11 a.m. to do the work. No mask, no proper clothing, no gloves. I had to give them some disposable gloves so they can work.

I am very worried about the work they have done especially regarding the down light covers. We are scared to put the lights on. We are using table lamps to light the house. We rang the man in charge of the company—no answers. We rang 1800 808 571(the hotline) and we were referred to 131792. We need someone to come and inspect the work so we can relax and make sure everything is safe. Please help us because no one is listening or telling us anything and they don’t know what we are supposed to do. We just need someone to come and check the work that’s all; please .. please.

We are very grateful that at least you are listening and trying to help us.

Regards, Alex QUREITEM

I made representations to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, on the couple’s behalf. At this point, I must also thank Neil Mitchell for giving Jacqui the chance to speak on his show, and I believe this helped very much towards an inspection of the couple’s house being arranged on Tuesday, 23 March. An inspector confirmed that the house is a fire risk—and I have that inspection notice with me. The department then engaged the same company to fix the problem that did the initial job. Jackie and Alex were extremely nervous that the same company was sent to remedy the job that was botched in the first place. My office was advised by the department that there was nothing it could do about it. We were assured by the government that this was the only way to go forward.

Two men arrived on Saturday, 27 March to fix the installation—27 days after Jacqui and Alex had approached my office. The men went up into the roof to fix some of the covers. Jacqui and Alex were anxious. When light bulbs fell on the ground and were breaking on the floor in the family room, Alex asked them to leave because he was afraid that they did not know what they were doing. Eventually, having no other choice, Jacqui and Alex agreed to let the company back in. The company returned to fix the roof in early to mid April. The government thought this was sufficient. It is apparently not normal procedure to get a second inspection. Most houses will get only one inspection.

But we kept on the government’s back to get an independent assessment of the job that was supposed to fix the roof. Through representations again to Minister Combet’s office, we finally got another inspection done on Monday, 24 May. Lo and behold, you wouldn’t believe it but it came back again—the house is still a fire risk. This puts a great question mark over the way the government is handling this matter. What about all the other houses around the country? Are they safe or do they just think they are safe? Do they all need second inspections too? How many houses have been fixed by the original installers?

The other thing is that this family has been living in a house with a fire risk since February. The government has known about the family’s predicament, but the government’s own procedures have failed this family. We still do not have a result. The house sits as much as a fire risk now as it was nearly four months ago. I expect the government to resolve this problem for this family in my electorate on 10 June, as it has organised for another independent inspection—this time to actually fix the problems at the house. A full investigation must be initiated. It is tragic that four people have lost their lives and that there have been 146 house fires, 1,500 electrified roofs and 240,000 dodgy insulations across the country. My electorate of La Trobe is no exception, and the way this program is being managed and implemented is a disgrace. I feel sorry for all those people living in fear, waiting and wondering whether their house will catch fire. I urge the government to make sure a second inspection is carried out of all houses.