Garrett suspends insulation company

A Queensland company linked to the death of an insulation installer has been suspended from the federal government's home insulation program.

peter_garrett_100211_L_aap_101855214
A Queensland company linked to the death of an insulation installer has been suspended from the federal government's home insulation program.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett osaid a full investigation into Brisbane-based Countrywide Insulation was underway.

Matthew Fuller, 26, had been working for a registered electrician subcontracted by the company when he was electrocuted on the job last October.

Countrywide Insulation, which met the program's original accreditation requirements, is now being investigated by the Environment Department.

"There is a full investigation underway in relation to Countrywide and the case is that they are now suspended under this program," Mr Garrett told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"All evidence in relation to this company, including additional allegations that have been made, will be fully and completely explored."

Mr Garrett would not be drawn on how long the investigation into the company would take.

"I want it to be done thoroughly, so I won't put a time limit on it," he said.

The news came as Mr Garrett came under fire for not attending Monday's meeting in Canberra of government officials, electricians and unions on foil insulation. National secretary of the Electrical Trades Union John Ingram said it would have been good to have Mr Garrett there.

"The bureaucrats at the end of the day said:'Nice to hear your views, we'll pass (them) on to the minister and give him some guidance'," he said.

"We want to speak straight to the minister, so the minister can get our points of view and we can get some discussion going, and some outcomes going, and get those quick smart."

A Senate inquiry into Labor's Energy Efficient Homes Package will begin public hearings in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Liberal senator Guy Barnett, who co-sponsored an upper house motion calling for the investigation, said the program had been rushed.

"We are now witnessing the fallout of this ill-conceived scheme," he said in a statement.

"This inquiry will allow the Senate to fully investigate the flaws of Labor's rushed insulation program."


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world