Mr ABBOTT (2:36 PM) —I am not getting ahead of myself, even if others are. My question is to the Prime Minister—the current Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his department’s annual report, which states that his department was ‘instrumental in developing’ the $4 billion Energy Efficient Homes Package. I ask: now that the Prime Minister has accepted responsibility for the home insulation scandal, can he explain the role of his own department in the scheme’s failure?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —I thank the honourable member for his question. First of all there was a government task force established in 2008 involving multiple agencies in the government to develop a national energy efficiency strategy. That was concluded by about September 2008. It, in fact, recommended to the government a range of programs worth some $2.9 billion. In developing this recommendation, the task force highlighted the cost-effectiveness of ceiling insulation relative to other household energy efficiency measures such as appliance upgrading and double glazing.

As the honourable member will know, when the government considered a range of measures to support the economy in early 2009 this was one of them. The government’s consideration of it was based on that earlier work of the national energy efficiency strategy, in which my own and other departments were engaged.

In further response to the honourable member’s question, the relevant cabinet committee was presented with proposals concerning this program based on that earlier work. I also say that the overall scope of the program was defined through the Office of the Coordinator-General. Furthermore, the specific implementation of the program and risk assessment associated with it was then delegated to the minister and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. I am happy to take any further questions on that matter.