Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier today the government, along with four members of the crossbenches, voted to hide the figures in relation to the rate of failure under the Home Insulation Program, the rate of defect under the Home Insulation Program and the rate of asbestos discovered in conjunction with the Home Insulation Program by the public. This is vital public safety information. In the words of the Electrical and Communications Association:

We believe there is a public interest issue in releasing the data on both safety inspection programs not the reverse. The government has said that the figures could scare the public. However, not knowing how big the problem is, whether your ceiling could be electrified or if there is a potential fire hazard in your roof is more concerning.

These are the words of the experts. This program has been a disaster from the outset. The government lived in denial for months and months, with tragic consequences at the human level, at the economic level, in terms of fires and in terms of electrification. Today we saw that pattern of behaviour repeated.

We say very clearly: the experts who warned about this program should have been listened to then. They are warning about this program right now. It is time for the government to come clean, to release the data, to practise transparency and, above all else, to end the cover-up in relation to the Home Insulation Program. (Time expired)