Mr BARRESI —My question is to the Minister for Financial Services and Regulation. Minister, in March you ordered an urgent investigation into a certain type of fire door in response to concerns about the safety of consumers in high occupancy buildings. There are nursing homes in my electorate which might use these sorts of doors, so could the minister inform the House on the progress of this investigation?

Mr HOCKEY (Financial Services and Regulation) —I thank the member for Deakin for his question and, in particular, for his concern about the nursing homes in his electorate. I am sure the nursing homes in the electorates of a number of members, particularly in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, would be concerned. For only the seventh time since 1974 the Commonwealth is going to exercise its mandatory powers of recall, and it is going to exercise those under section 65F of the Trade Practices Act. Up to 4,500 fire doors are to be recalled from around Australia. The recall will have priority in nursing homes, hospitals and other buildings where the occupants need help to evacuate in the case of fire. These buildings are particularly located in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.

We have ordered the suppliers of the fire doors to identify buildings as a matter of urgency and replace or repair doors and bring them up to appropriate safety standards. The costs, which are significant in this case, are to be met by the suppliers. In this case we are determined to protect consumers. We will constantly use our Trade Practices Act powers to force recalls where in particular cases goods are provided that are a danger to the users of those goods. In this case the CSIRO seized three doors from the actual buildings where they were located and tested them. They failed to meet a one-hour standard—in fact, they were burnt through after only 15 minutes, which is an obvious concern to disabled people and elderly people, who may not be able to evacuate a building quickly. Therefore, we have ordered the recall. We expect action to take place immediately.

Mr Howard —Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper .

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Howard —There were 20 questions.