Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister advise the House of the findings of the royal commission into the failings of the Home Insulation Program? What can we all learn from this report?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to particularly thank the member for Brisbane, who represents a state which was most affected by this disastrous program. As you progress through the pages of the royal commission, two critical findings emerge. The first of those findings, the central finding, is as clearly set out as it could be on page 3, where the royal commissioner says:

In my view each death would, and should, not have occurred had the HIP been properly designed and implemented.

In short, the commissioner said these four tragedies were avoidable. He went further and made the point that, after the program had commenced and even after the first of the tragedies, the lessons were not learnt. In particular, Commissioner Hanger said:

… despite electrical safety issues being raised squarely as an issue after the death of Mr Fuller, insufficient action was taken to prevent further tragedies—had it been, I am satisfied that Reuben Barnes' death could have been avoided.

In short, the lessons which could have saved these young lives were evident and obvious but unlearned.

Against that background, there have been some who have questioned whether the commission was worth it. I would say to those in this House who have made those statements to listen very carefully to the words of the families, because, since we last addressed this issue, I have had the task of speaking with further family members. As one family member said to me, 'If this report helps save just one life at some time somewhere in the future, then it will have been worth every single cent.' That is a very powerful lesson. The second central finding which was made by the commissioner is that this program had a devastating impact on businesses:

The effect of the losses was to devastate many long-standing businesses (some family companies in effect) and to cause as well personal financial collapse and severe despair and emotional harm;

So the implications spread far and wide. The lessons were clear. The government of the day did not listen to advice, overruled advice and sought to act in haste. The lessons were also clear that we need to listen and work with a professional public service, and we will listen to what they say and we hope that this never, ever happens again.