Mr ABBOTT (Leader of the Opposition) (2:00 PM) —My question is to the Prime Minister and I refer the Prime Minister to remarks made last Friday by the Secretary of the new Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, who told a meeting of 700 staff:

Given this damning admission, how can the public have any confidence that the government can fix the massive public policy failure of its Home Insulation Program?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Firstly, Minister Combet, as the Leader of the Opposition would know, has been handed responsibility for the wind-up of the Home Insulation Program. Secondly, the department which has energy efficiency functions within it has also brought in a new departmental deputy secretary to deal with these matters. Thirdly, I say to the honourable Leader of the Opposition that the minister also intends to engage very closely with industry, unions and regulators to ensure that risks going forward are managed in the best possible way. Furthermore, could I advise the Leader of the Opposition that the minister’s department will be guided in design and implementation of the scheme by an independent advisory panel. This will include Dr Ron Silverberg, ex-managing director of the HIA; Mr Peter Tighe, National Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union; and Mr Tony Arnel, the Victorian building and plumbing commissioner and Chair of the Green Building Council of Australia. This panel of experts has also been commissioned to advise on the proposed implementation arrangements for the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme.