Clamour for Garrett to go over botch-up

Peter Garrett. Photo / Kenny Rodger

CANBERRA - Environment Minister Peter Garrett yesterday continued to fight for his political life as calls for his head intensified over the botched subsidised roof insulation programme that has been linked to four deaths and the electrification of house roofs.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott tabled a censure motion demanding Garrett's resignation for a "slow motion train wreck" but, with an election this year, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has maintained his support for the besieged minister.

The Opposition is keeping up a relentless attack, spurred by revelations that Garrett did not read a key report detailing potential lethal flaws in the A$2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) programme to reduce energy costs and provide jobs during the global financial crisis.

The report by law firm Minter Ellison was handed to the Environment Department in April last year - before the programme began - but the minister yesterday confirmed a report in the Australian that he had not read it until two weeks ago.

Last week Garrett cancelled the programme as estimates of the number of roofs electrified by faulty installation of foil insulation rose to 1000, with as many as 250,000 more homes potentially at risk.

More than 80 fires have been linked to bungled installation, and safety inspections have been broadened to include 15 per cent of homes fitted with woollen batts.

Further problems involving substandard products fitted to homes under a subsidised solar power programme are also being investigated.

The continuing revelations are hammering Garrett, with others joining Abbott's call for his dismissal.

Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown yesterday told Sky News he thought Garrett should resign, and Family First Senator Steven Fielding said ahead of new Senate hearings into the programme: "This Minister has to go. He can't stay another day."

The Senate inquiry yesterday put the blowtorch to Environment Department officials summoned to defend their administration of the programme, producing an apology to the relatives of the installers who died fitting insulation.

"I [apologise] with all sincerity," department secretary Robyn Kruk said. "I place on record my recognition of the loss of their families."

Garrett had hoped to soften the Opposition's attack by axing the insulation programme and replacing it with a new scheme in June.

But the Australian handed the Opposition new ammunition with news that Minter Ellison had given warnings on house fires and property damage by dodgy installers, substandard batts, and a department ill-equipped to roll out the programme.

The newspaper said the report had also warned that lax controls could also lead to fraud and criminal behaviour, inflated charges and ineligible people accessing the programme.

Garrett said he had not read the full report until February 11, but that its findings had been considered with those of other reports, all of which had been included in advice that his department had provided.

"I acted upon that advice," he told Parliament yesterday.

In the Senate inquiry, Kruk said she did not think there was any issue about Garrett not having seen the report until this month as its recommendations had been embedded in the programme before it was rolled out.

But the Opposition used every opportunity during Question Time to attack Garrett for "monumental incompetence".

Abbott said in his censure motion that Garrett should resign or be sacked for his systemic failure to properly administer the programme.

"Enough is enough. It is now time for the minister to take responsibility and resign."