Insulation debacle !

It would be an under statement to say that the government's roof insulation initiative has been badly handled.

Fifty thousand homes have been fitted with aluminium foil insulation and many of these have had it fixed in place with staples, despite this method of fixing being specifically banned because staples can connect to electrical wiring and result in the entire roof becoming " live ".

So far, four people have been electrocuted because of this and there have been numerous house fire. Now it will be necessary for special inspection teams to monitor all fifty thousand homes to check the safety aspect - and that will cost the taxpayer $ 19 million.

The government was fore warned by electrical authorities, and ignored the warning - with the resultant debacle !

Now there is a new problem. It will take months for inspection teams to check every one of the fifty thousand homes affected, and until this happens householders will have to live with the danger that they may be living in a house that is likely to catch fire without warning - and that their roof space may be deadly to anyone coming into contact with the foil insulation.

This is a situation that can not be described as an example of good government !