The Federal Government has commenced payments to businesses adversely affected by the Home Insulation Program (HIP), a process that will be completed by April 2016.
The government engaged Ian Hanger, QC, to assist with the process for determining and making discretionary payments to eligible pre-existing insulation installation businesses. Applications are being assessed by Hangar and Deloitte Australia.
Last week the government released its final update to the Report on the Royal Commission into the HIP.
The HIP, which ran from 2009 to 2010, resulted in the death of four young men and led to the establishment of a Royal Commission.
In response to the Commission's findings the government committed to:
Improving safety in roof spaces;
Ensuring Commonwealth programs minimise work health and safety risks;
Making payments to the families of the installers who died during the HIP;
Making payments to eligible insulation businesses;
Conducting a review of government processes; and
Conducting a review of public service conduct in relation to the HIP.
Work in each of these areas is now complete or nearing completion.
In April 2015, the Council of Australian Governments agreed on a harmonised approach to roof space safety across all states and territories, through appropriate and effective regulation and better awareness of roof space safety for building industry workers, the do-it-yourself market and householders.
After the HIP, the Queensland Government ran a highly effective awareness campaign about safety in roof cavities. As agreed by COAG, Safe Work Australia has facilitated the campaign by all states and territories.
In July 2015 state and territory Ministers updated the Building Ministers' Forum on current and possible future steps in their jurisdictions to minimise the risks associated with the use of reflective foil laminates in roof spaces.
Safe Work Australia, in response to the Royal Commission, developed a Framework which integrates work health and safety in government policy development and implementation.
The Framework is the result of a collaboration of Commonwealth representatives where work health and safety considerations are embedded in the policy development cycle from initiating, planning, developing, delivering and evaluating policy and programs.
Professor Peter Shergold, former Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and a strong advocate of effective public policy implementation, led an independent review of government processes for the development and implementation of large public programs and projects, including the roles of Ministers and public servants.
Professor Shergold was assisted by the Australian Public Service Commission, and presented his report to the Government in August 2015. The report is available on www.apsc.gov.au.