Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts and Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water, Senator Wong. Why is the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency better placed than the department of the environment, heritage and the arts in administering a program such as the pink batt program?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Abetz for the question. It is the case that the Prime Minister has announced portfolio changes and machinery of government changes which include the energy efficiency programs which were previously undertaken by what was then the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts being transferred to the Department of Climate Change, which will now be known as the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. I was sworn in yesterday evening to the new portfolio role and we are working as quickly as is possible to enable—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister, ignore the interjections. Interjections are disorderly. Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are dealing with the various issues in relation to the machinery of government changes as quickly as is possible. It is obviously the case—it is self-evident—that there have been some very significant issues in relation to the Home Insulation Program. The previous minister, Minister Garrett, has made a number of statements in the House about measures the government is undertaking in order to remedy those issues and to improve the implementation of a range of programs. As the Senate knows, the Home Insulation Program was discontinued and will be replaced. My colleague Minister Combet has responsibility specifically in relation to the Home Insulation Program and the introduction of the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme. We recognise that there are some significant— (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order across the chamber! Senator Abetz is entitled to be heard in silence.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. If ever there was a nonanswer, that was it. My supplementary is: does the minister agreed that her Department of Climate Change is—and I quote—‘not a program manager’ and that its secretary knows ‘nothing about program design or delivery’?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am aware of some comments which have been reported to which I believe the senator is referring. I would make the point that the comments reported were obviously only in part. The secretary did make a decision in the circumstances, given the significance of these changes, that it was appropriate to have a meeting in which the departmental staff were addressed about how these issues would be managed. Obviously we recognise there are not only significant implementation challenges associated with the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme and legacy issues associated with the Home Insulation Program but issues with a range of other programs. We will work assiduously and responsibly and carefully to address those. (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Does the minister agree with her departmental secretary, who volunteered, ‘I know nothing about program risk management’? Was that the reason the Prime Minister has chosen this secretary and this minister to take over responsibility for others’ failures? Why has the Rudd government moved programs that have been bungled to a department that admits to having no experience in program delivery, let alone risk management?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had already referred to the secretary’s comments in my previous answer. It would have been useful perhaps if the senator could have reflected on that before reading out the supp he had previously prepared. The secretary has made it clear that the new department will build on existing capability and develop new capacity to deal with these issues. Self-evidently, this is a new function for the department. It is a challenge, but a challenge we in this portfolio—me as minister and the department—are determined to rise to. We recognise that the programs need to be administered to a higher standard than, regrettably, has been the case previously for a range of reasons, and we will seek to do so.