INSULATION SCHEME COSTS LOCAL JOBS
Bob Baldwin, Member for Paterson has today called on the Prime Minister during Question Time to explain how he will secure the jobs of dozens of local insulation installers who are facing redundancy because of Labor’s botched scheme.
Ron May from Thornton runs Insulmaster Pty Ltd but now faces the prospect of having to retrench 28 trained employees he can no longer afford.
“Following promises from Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett that this program would be safely run until 2011, in good faith Mr May leased new premises and also purchased more than $630,000 in insulation stock which now sits in storage,” Mr Baldwin said.
“To make matters even worse, the Rudd Labor Government’s fact sheet promised installers, ‘You’ll be paid directly by the Government for the cost of the ceiling insulation and installation, normally within 14 days’ yet Mr May is still waiting for $239,817.54 in unpaid rebates, some dating back to July last year!”
“Today in Question Time Kevin Rudd even admitted that this was ‘unacceptable treatment of the firm concerned.’”
Barry Hayes of Hayes Insulation in Medowie is also now battling to keep workers on the payroll because of the botched scheme. He has received no information from the Rudd Labor Government on how its $41.2 million transitional arrangements will help him retain employees, or compensate him for the large stock levels he specifically purchased.
“Kevin Rudd and his Environment Minister promised the costly stimulus rollout would create jobs and improve the environment. Instead it has left businesses in debt, workers and their families without income, has cost lives and made many thousands of homes unsafe,” Mr Baldwin said.
“I remain steadfast in my commitment to businesses and workers in my electorate and I continue to lobby on their behalf for a fairer deal. I will debate this issue in Parliament tonight.
“I would also call on any insulation companies in the Paterson electorate who are now struggling, to contact me, so that I can present a full case to Parliament.”
