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Local Federal MP Bruce Billson has called on the Rudd Labor Government to take the action ‘desperately required’ to address the small business harm Minister Garrett has caused as a result of the Government’s freeze on the failed home insulation program.
Media reports that a further support package was to be announced last week (eds. Friday) for insulation small businesses hung out to dry by the Rudd Government’s home insulation program freeze turned out not to be a lifeline for the hurting businesses but a lifeline for the failed Minister responsible for the harm.
Job losses are mounting as installers are laid off and the quality insulation businesses that the Government expects will be able to retain or re-employ installers when some kind of program resumes in the middle of the year, fear not being able to hang on that long and express great uncertainty about their future.
In Parliament, Mr Billson said it was important to provide assistance to installers who have lost their job through no fault of their own, but that the Government had “ignored a simply fact: unviable employers cannot engage employees”.
“Support for the army of insulation installers who have lost their jobs is an important initial step, but Mr Garrett and the Rudd Labor Government have once again ignored the impact of their actions on small businesses that employ the installers, who now face little work and no forward orders as a direct result of Peter Garrett’s bungled handling of his department’s program,” Mr Billson said.
“Job losses are mounting as installers are laid off and quality local insulation business like Aussie Home Insulation and Balmoral Heating & Cooling are just some of the small businesses with good reputations placed in a deep freeze for months while the Rudd Labor Government works out what to do next with the mess it has created.
“Labor’s bungling of the home insulation program has resulted in the tragedy of lives lost and property damaged and destroyed, and now small businesses are facing economic hardship, big investment losses, on-going expenses with no income and possible receivership.
“The much anticipated announcement on Friday kept the Environment Minister, Peter Garrett in business despite his clear incompetence and uncontested poor performance but said nothing about how the Rudd Government would help keep afloat competent and quality home insulation businesses, who have done nothing wrong, while the Rudd Labor Government sorts out this mess of it own making.
“What the Rudd Labor Government does not seem to understand is factory and vehicle leases don’t pause; stock does not pay for itself; business start-up and accreditation costs are not recovered; insurances and operating expenses do not simply cease because the Government decides to shut down a program it has mismanaged to deny people the opportunity to earn the income they’d been promised.
“Belated, panicked and clumsy attempts to address problems with the home insulation program that the Rudd Labor Government has been warned about time and time again, Ministerial interchange moves and call centres not able to provide definitive information, brings little comfort for insulation small business facing going to the wall.
“The Government talks about how it might keep experienced and accredited insulation installers in the industry so they might return after the deep freeze on the home insulation program is over but this does nothing to assist small businesses survive in the industry and to recognise the economic harm Peter Garrett has caused.
“The Rudd Government must act to address the economic impact of its sudden decision to cancel the home insulation program leaving installation businesses with no work or forward orders, but still facing factory and vehicle lease costs, stock costs and operating expenses”, Mr Billson said.
Whilst no specific contact details have been established for financial support, people who wish to register their concerns or obtain further information can call 1800 808 571.
“The earlier $41 million announced by the Rudd government to help insulation installation workers keep their jobs or potentially find new ones and be kept on in the workplace ignores a very simple fact: unviable employers cannot engage employees. In the Rudd Government’s announcement, there is nothing about support for the small businesses and the costs and expenses they incurred”, Bruce Billson MP, Hansards, House of Representatives, 25 February 2010.
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Your Federal Member for Dunkley
