Federal Labor has branded as a stunt the coalition pledge to start a judicial inquiry into the government's bungled 2008 home insulation scheme, which led to four deaths.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott wants to uncover the "full" damage done to families and businesses by the scheme instigated by Kevin Rudd during the global financial crisis (GFC).
The proposed six-month inquiry could cost millions of dollars and be initiated within a month if the coalition wins government on September 7.
Mr Abbott has been pursuing the "pink batts" issue for more than three years and made the pledge during a visit to an insulation factory in the prime minister's Brisbane seat of Griffith on Friday.
"It's important to get to the bottom of this for the families of the young men who died ... and for all the people whose businesses have been damaged or destroyed, whose lives have been put on hold and who have lost their homes as a result of this," Mr Abbott said.
"We've got to ensure that this kind of disaster never happens again."
Four insulation workers died during the scheme's rollout in Queensland and NSW.
It was put in place during Mr Rudd's first term as prime minister, as a part of a national stimulus package to keep the economy ticking over.
But Mr Abbott argues the scheme is an indictment of Mr Rudd's poor policy making and leadership.
In July, a Queensland coroner found the rushed rollout of the scheme was a significant factor in the deaths of the four men.
Mr Rudd issued a "very deep and personal" apology and had met with members of the families, a spokeswoman for the prime minister told AAP.
"Further meetings are currently being arranged," she said.
Mr Abbott said the families would have a say on the framing of the terms of reference.
But Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said the inquiry was a political stunt because the scheme had already been the subject of eight inquiries, reviews or audits.
"For me the issue of health and safety should be above politics," Mr Shorten said.
"Lessons have been learned and it should never happen again."
Labor has pledged $1 million for projects to improve work safety and support families impacted by work injuries or deaths.
Kevin and Christine Fuller, the parents of tradesman Matthew Fuller who died in 2009, said problems remained in federal and state safety systems.
"We are fully in support of a judicial inquiry into the home insulation program and thank Tony (Abbott) for his commitment," they said in a statement.
Mr Rudd, who deflected questions about the inquiry, spent day five of the election campaign in Melbourne.
He again accused Mr Abbott of having a secret plan to raise the 10 per cent GST to 12.5 per cent and widen it to food.
If that happened, the price of a carton of eggs would rise by 77 cents, a $4.17 jar of Vegemite would cost $4.69 and two litres of milk would be 54 cents more, Mr Rudd said.
"I just think we called it for what it is," Mr Rudd said of his claim.
Mr Abbott says the coalition has no plan to change the GST, "full stop".
However, the GST will be within the terms of reference of an inquiry into the tax system under a coalition government.
The opposition says proposals from that would be taken to the next election.
Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott will face off in a televised leaders debate at Canberra's National Press Club on Sunday night.
