While Kevin Rudd is trying to airbrush away the last 6 chaotic years of Labor government offering a "New way" as if none of the chaos was due to him, it is good to see that all his past blunders are not entirely dead and buried. If Rudd is true to his word in offering transparency he will release the information on his involvement in the pink batts debacle, or is transparency only for others?

"KEVIN Rudd's direct knowledge of serious risks to public safety and other major policy defects in the deadly $2 billion home-insulation debacle will be examined in a new legal action by 65 companies that lost more than $100 million....

Mr Stewart, 65, accused Mr Rudd of being disingenuous for hiding confidential documents and briefing notes that the Prime Minister and cabinet received when safety and other risks were obvious and being stressed by experienced industry figures.

"It is very difficult for us not to hold Kevin Rudd directly responsible," Mr Stewart said.

"It becomes more obvious when we know that he still refuses to release the most important documents. We believe that Peter Garrett (the former minister in charge of the program) was left carrying the can for Mr Rudd."

Yes SM, labor voters also avoid his and labors disasters of the past six years.

I also suspect this pending lawsuit may well be behind Rudds push for a PM to serve a full term.

One thng for sure is that there will be a book published about the past six years, because there has been so much happen and so many stuff ups, and I doubt there has been a period like it in our political history.

I simply can not understand why so many people out there are willing to simply sweep labors past six years under the carpet, especially on the back of just one man.

Unless of cause I am right in assuming they pollsters take their polls from the likes of uni students.

pink batts revisited
[another 3 word slogan

inmyopinion
if you have recieved the foil/batts/insulation..blah blah blah
ifyou took the feee;lunch..its shared guilt all round..

[if you didnt realise the issue..
BEFORE*..anyone died..guilt..ALL*ROUND..is imp-lied

have you sen the www.laborwaste.com brochure
its rather pathetic,..mentioning.near all labratter...achievement's
then with a headline under..from in the main murderoch news sheets]7 from the australian alone

this makes the peter beatup'$..nomination of forde..all the more clever[who better to point out howards ruthless cuts to states..that [so the narrative will say]..FORCED him*..to sell of assets..OR borrow..or reduce services

picking peter beatup..may save kev/alp
or it may not..

but even you gotta agree..its a different way

as promised
just as the spin-of the ""20..big wastes..lol..AND cha0s
arnt all that big..indeed some are rather petty
and chaotic is over reach/spin

plus my copy couldnt evenget the printing right
[the inside page is upside down..[or the front..is inverted]

affronted spin?
same old way..as opposed to the neo krudd way

He is hiding nothing.
It however highlights Abbott,s willingness to use fear and loathing and yes half truths.
Please contributors to SM ,s thread take on todays statement from Abbott.
*He claims his team will take us to a triple A credit rating*
And ignoring the fact we already have that *made the claim Labor is not the party to do it*
Australia needs a leader far far better than Tony would be.

Yes the pink batts implementation was a fiasco. This has been documented and summarised in an official review that was not favourable to the Rudd Government. And yes that same review was critical of the fact that advice had been received by the PM and he instead chose 'jobs over safety' if I remember the phrasing correctly.

The LNP's efforts to drag this up is meaningless. Everyone already knows it was a fiasco, so now they are trying to make it something even more even implying criminality which, as much as I dislike Rudd, is a stretch by any means.

It is laughable when one things of the AWB inquiry where the LNP got away with deceiving the Australian public.

It's really disappointing when any political party expects honesty from their opponents but don't give a toss about their own misbehaviours - and that goes for both sides of politics.

rechtub>> Unless of cause I am right in assuming they pollsters take their polls from the likes of uni students<<

Butch I believe the polls are taken directly from the audience for the ABC's Q&A.

Talking of Q&A here is the ABC's description of the host:
>>Tony Jones is one of Australia's most respected journalists<<

This is my description:
Tony Jones......shooter of ducks in a partisan barrel.

Journalist my colon, he has never hunted free range....always in the ABC's game reserve with an audience of gun bearers. The free range journo’s call him “sure bet.”

OUG>> inmyopinion
if you have recieved the foil/batts/insulation..blah blah blah
ifyou took the feee;lunch..its shared guilt all round<<

Bit harsh sport, is it my fault that I wanted to lounge in comfort just idly watching the national debt clock roll and roll, but calmed by the reassurance that there is a New Way and the REAL Labor will be coaxed out as the REAL NEW Julia was coaxed from her original packaging.

SM the depth of ignorance from the plebs exactly matches the government’s debt….funny that.

Pelican>> The LNP's efforts to drag this up is meaningless. Everyone already knows it was a fiasco, so now they are trying to make it something even more even implying criminality which, as much as I dislike Rudd, is a stretch by any means<<

Nah Pelican, it’s not Abbott's lot (but he will have a go) it is those poor stupid bast@#$% who believed Rudd when he said they would be compensated for their loss due to his idiotic idea and his ministers incompetence.

They are still whinging about loosing their livehoods and sometimes the roof over their heads. They should have been insulated against Rudd.....lololol

was going to post this at the thread..that the spinmeisters are watching
but heck..enoughtrue believers here..to let the idea ferment

how much income tax paid by western sydney
how much smokers tax..gst..bank fees fines fees levies
yet they cant get a railline?.

.yet they cant get easy access to city
two airports etc

toney should live there[wa stilldont want him]

yet no doudt ..JUST THE SMOKERS tax
could pay..in full..for one..in 3 years revenue raising
[off the low wage/fixed income..much ab-used..suburban muggins]
being stolen blind via cooperate and publick servanmts/govt snouts

then..FUEL tax
et alone carbon tax..component..
of their gas/power..[PLUS SOON..ON TOP OF FUEL*[2015?]

they pay [or have taken from their pay super or hidden deceits]
[wage isnt income!..its income tax not wage tax]..go west of sydney..tony..defend the poor ol'mate

but forget pinkbatts
go the theft from the suburben..smokers..who next..boozers
or fatties..think..about it abbot..or a bot*./.phoney tony..or him who did as he saw the christ DO..

feed the hungry..warm the cold..care for the least
represent the fore-gotten..not the lobby..not bwankers..not party

but i know..you too..couldnt care less

i dont care either way..
who ever wins..must be seen doing the right..christian..things
[no not..*right..correct] christ inspired..correct thing's..

defending the oppressed/distressed
abused and ripped off..by both sides

loving god..by loving other..
loving god..by SERVING..*HIS CREATIONS

not the..the demons
of material bailout/commerce

jesus upturned the money changers tables
you allowed them tobe rebuilt..for free..sweemingly
[cause the cost of all of it..falls on the individual me
\
the collective we]

Belly,

If Rudd is hiding nothing, why won't he release the warnings and notices he received from his advisors.

Rudd the Dudd screwed this up and doesn't want to be reminded of it before an election. In fact he wants Australia to suffer collective amnesia of his incompetence.

just watching lateline
and noted the absurdity..of the pink batty MISS DIRECTION?..spin/thing

tony standing next to fluffy insulation packs
huge rooms full of em..ALLPAID for by kevie..but wait
whats going on say the children..fluffy batts cankill me?

no son..only the metal foil
and then..only..when stapled into power cables
oh daddy...so its not the microfibre bats [that cause lung cancer]

no son..only the foil
why daddy is tony standing with fluffy batts dad
maybe he dont l know the dust causes cancer..maybe it was the fluffy ones that killed 3 kids..working part-time casual/plus govt grants..

how come the fluffy bats behind tony arnt pink
is it only the pinkbatty daddy?

get on..with real issues tony
feed the poor
heal the sick
educate the ignorant
defend those being taxed to death
tell the working mugs..wage isnt tax-able ..only..'income'

talk of the foil*
you must know..foil aint pink

[reds under the bed?]
[lets just get the kids fed
get over the pink..think..stink..
we all ready wasted way..too much ink

OUG, you have an amazing mind....the yanks fought for representation for their taxes. We should incite the western suburbs to fight for fair infrastructure share for their taxes. It is a gerrymander of resources...

......make it something even more even implying criminality which, as much as I dislike Rudd, is a stretch by any means.

So tell me Pelican, why is it then that the directors of the companies from which the lives were lost are, or have, faced criminal charges, because after all, had Rudd acted on the EXPERT ADVICE, and shut the program down, or at least suspended it, these directors would not be liable, because the deaths would not have occurred.

Could it be that politicians are no accountable for their actions?

In my view, while Rudd did not cause the deaths, his negligence most certainly contributed to them.

He should be remind EVERY SINGLE DAY of the lives lost and his involvement.

....Belly,

If Rudd is hiding nothing, why won't he release the warnings and notices he received from his advisors.

Good point SM.

I would suggest it's because he, like so many of his followers have simply moved on from this fiasco, most likely gone to church one Sunday, confessed, and all is forgiven.

However, I still firmly believe labors polls are false and that they are in for a hiding.

Perhaps not quite the hiding they would have got, but a hiding none the less.

My prediction is that if Rudd/labor win the election, you can pretty much hang up your boots, because another three years of this mob and it will be game over for many.

[FACT]Kevin Rudd won't win.
[FACT]Tony Abbot will win.
[FACT][FACT][FACT] The people will NOT win.
Whomever wins WILL increase the GST
and[FACT][FACT][FACT] The people will LOSE again.

sonofgloin/quote..<<..the yanks fought for representation..for their taxes.>>

who would dare represent smokers
drnks and slobs..[ok..maybe ghandi..or jesus]
but lok what ghandi..did..for a tax onsalt..yet smokers get insult plus tax[you cant be punished for the same crime twice[unless your a smoker]..where they can fill our minds with stuff direct from hell[imagry]

plus lie about facts..[$OCIAL..cost..=30 billion
when hospital costs are only 800 MILLION*]

we talk of pinkish bats
whe nits foil[miss-direction
we wont have to pay..only the worst pouters will/lol
[but they will pass it on..PLUS sneak in the next one on fuel..forgotten by phoney tony..stuck..on his pinkish batty spin

<<We should incite the western suburbs to fight for fair infrastructure share for their taxes. It is a gerrymander of resources...>>..

yes but its not just sydney suburbs..we got many sub-blurb-enites..who pay through the nose the majority of fees fines levies/rates/regestrations..fire police abulance...for most of the stuff put up..by free govt grant..[to mates]..in 'main/street..

plus pay..in the main..we pay..for too many
fat free lunching overpaid under worked lazy pub-lic serve-ants

plus their too generous indexed super/
plus their other lurks/like seats on boards..or even the backbenches..if you follow order's..and the party patsy line

we got two..PRESUMED xtian leaders
one will be the devil incarnate..the other could be like the christ
yet they both act the same..the same insane mortal greed..ignoring need

im sickend by both sides
tony playing the small target
kevie playing the bluff..till they do as jesus would do

enough..enough..enough
life dont need to be this tough
satan..always has an escape clause*
http://www.yourstrawman.com/

the sad thing is
so do..*both*..our prospective leaders
we thus cl;early see..who serve..we will get the leader we de-serve

[cause christ said
the comforter will serve
all of us..the anti-christ..only..[it$elf]..its-elf

anyhow..like many..i see the foil*
when tony says his..think pink...batt bait

stop living in the past..
those not serving..are un-deserving*

A key document is a ''risk register'' that contracted law firm Minter Ellison provided to the Department of Environment in April 2009. In this register, the government's risk consultants advised that the program be thoroughly outsourced. The resulting rebate model ensured that the government's only real role in the program would be to provide the funds, which would be delivered through the Medicare rebate system.

Minter Ellison's risk experts doubted the department's capacity to deliver the program in a more hands-on way within the tight deadlines demanded by the stimulus program. Even a direct contract model based on the government choosing a few large construction contractors, like that used to deliver the government's school halls program, was seen as beyond the capacity of the department. The solution was to bring in the free market.

The people really responsible were those on site who knowingly disregarded safe work practices - perhaps even the same ones who decided to make even more money by importing toxic batts from China.

Is Abbott responsible for the negligent deaths that happened in Hospitals under his watch as Minister for Health?

What's happening here is just a well-timed diversionary stunt with vague assertions about enquiries designed to create a hint of conspiracy during the election campaign.

rache,

You end up completing the full circle, where it comes back to Rudd for not taking advice and for insisting on unrealistic and imprudent haste in implementation, and all for political reasons.

The elephant in the room is that it is not obligatory for builders and trades to meet as a minimum the requirements of the Australian Standards and the BCA, or even the installation guides of manufacturers.

The problems of insulation only reflect a whole raft of other problems for home owners that result in all manner of building problems. One relevant to the insulation could be the number of homes with aluminum wall sarking that have power points without protective shields on the rear. The electrical contractors just couldn't be bothered with the minor inconvenience of installing the cheap plastic covers. A slight movement of the aluminium sarking and the house becomes live.

There are political points in pursuing Rudd. But at the same time neither of the major parties have the political will to do anything about the corner-cutting and lack of compliance with the BCA that are the rule not the exception in home building.

Many years ago I started my working life as a humble apprentice electrical mechanic.
Like all apprentices of the day I had a master who had the power of "Loco Parentis" over me. [The legal doctrine under which an individual assumes parental rights, duties, and obligations without going through the formalities]
He could administer corporal punishment as a parent should he feel that I needed it. Enough said about that practice.
Back then all "ALL" electrical 240 volt wiring had to be encased in steel screwed conduit, earthed and secured every 18 inches.
Today "figure eight" double insulated wire is tossed across ceiling beams and joist from point to point without fixing and is exposed to any and all movement by any person accessing the ceiling spaces.
True you should be able to see where the cables lay but if they are covered by insulation batts then the chances of a wire cut by human pressure is high to extreme high and the result is instant death.
Whilst there is a limited duty of care liability for Rudd and the installers the real fault lies in the relaxing of the standards that allow cables to be laid in ceiling spaces without safe coverings.
All in the name of building economy.

Rache,

No activity in life is without risk, in business and public life there is an obligation to identify and minimize risks.

In Rudd the Dudd's case, the risks were identified and in spite of multiple warnings zero, zilch, stuff all action was taken.

rehctub

I agree the Rudd government did not take into account potential chaos of the scheme particularly the expected rush on greed and exploitation by unqualified business and many fly-by-nighters. This all aided in the death of innocent people. I don't know why Rudd is hiding the correspondence and I also agree that no politician should be able to block access to documents from the people they represent. But my question is it criminal? Criminal acts imply intent.

The government is accountable as they rolled out the scheme too quickly. But I find it odd that you Conservatives keep telling us to trust business and corporations but then don't expect them to own their mistakes or admit they did not heed OH&S legislation. And then lay blame 100% on the government of the day.

If you replace Rudd with Abbott for a moment in this scenario would you be calling it a fiasco or saying why is a Prime Minister responsible for poor work practices. I doubt SM would have started the thread.