Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

Obviously, I am not aware of the specifics of the case. I appreciate the senator’s offer to have a discussion privately about it so as to ensure that we can make the necessary inquiries. I am quite willing to do that. In relation to this program, I think that Minister Combet and the government have been quite upfront about the objective of remedying the range of problems associated with this program. I do not think that anyone in the government has sought to underplay or minimise the difficulties and problems with this scheme.

As you would be aware, under the Home Insulation Safety Program, which is the remediation program associated with this, safety inspections of, I am advised, at least 150,000 homes with non-foil insulation are being carried out. These inspections are based on a risk assessment. I am also advised that households with safety concerns can request an inspection through the safety hotline. On the advice that I have been provided with, these inspections are being performed in addition to the minimum of 150,000 homes to which I referred earlier.

The Senate would also recall that there was another remediation program, the Foil Insulation Safety Program. Under that scheme, over 50,000 householders who had foil insulation installed are being offered a choice based on the advice of a qualified electrician to have their insulation removed or safety switches installed.