Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday, in response to a question from Senator Humphries, I committed to provide more information on the insulation in the energy efficiency package. I confirm to the Senate that, at this stage of the rollout of the package, approximately 50 per cent of claims for insulation are under $1,600. This is based on progress so far, with the package providing insulation for over 300,000 households. Yesterday I also stated that there were 6,000 businesses that had registered. I was incorrect. There are now 7,300 businesses that have registered to take part in the home insulation program, translating into thousands more individual installers and thousands of jobs for Australians.

The government is very mindful of the need to ensure the quality and value for money of insulations done under the package. We take an extremely dim view of anyone seeking to exploit the program. That is why we have kept the program under active review, resulting in the new compliance measures which the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Mr Garrett, announced on 28 August, adding to what is already a robust and comprehensive framework for handling any issue that arises. These measures include the publication of a market based pricing guide with automatic scrutiny of installers charging above the upper limit.

The pricing table provides information for households to help them evaluate quotations and assists them in making an informed decision on what insulation products and options are best for their individual circumstances. The prices in the table are based on actual claims under the program. When installers quote above the maximum recommended price per metre they must provide additional information on the quote outlining why the work was more expensive than usual. Installers that charge above the maximum recommended price without reasonable grounds to do so may be struck off the installer provider register.