The opposition has savaged Peter Garrett as an incompetent minister, demanding he be sacked over a $3.7 billion ceiling insulation program which saw installation-related fatalities.
The coalition is attempting to move a censure motion against Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for refusing to sack the environment minister.
"Prime Minister, this minister must go," Opposition Leader Tony Abbott roared in parliament on Thursday.
Abbott accused Garrett of being derelict in his ministerial duties by refusing to heed early warning signs about the danger of metal insulation, which had been linked to four deaths.
The minister had even tried to lay the blame on shonky installers, "rather than his own failures that has seen tragedy unfold on his watch".
Mr Abbott accused the government of using its attacks on the coalition's finance spokesman Barnaby Joyce to cover up for Mr Garrett's mismanagement of the insulation program.
"This is about deaths of four young Australians flowing from the maladministration of this portfolio by this incompetent minister," he said.
"Barnaby Joyce hasn't been responsible for a program which has killed people, that's the truth."
The insulation debacle showed a "complete derangement of values" by Mr Rudd's ministers.
Mr Garrett again stood by his handling of the scheme, having earlier made a detailed statement to parliament before question time.
"My response has always been the same: safety is a priority and appropriate levels of training are a priority," he said.
"I stand by that, I stand by my statement that I gave in the house, I stand by the decisions that I've made in relation to this program."
It was his job to make necessary changes and "that is what we have done".
"My absolute desire and very firm commitment has been to (see) if there were any additional measures that needed to be addressed," he said.
He criticised the coalition, which he said had fundamentally been opposed to the program as a whole.
The opposition's attempt at a censure motion was lost, 72 votes to 58.
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