The first rule of politics is to dodge the blame when a project goes pear shaped - and that is exactly what the enquiry into the failed home insulation scheme has tried to do.
It has exonerated the minister responsible - Peter Garrett - with the claim that his department lied to him and failed to keep him informed as the $ 2.8 billion project fell apart.
This ignores the very reason for having ministers in the first place. It is their duty to prod and probe, and delve into every aspect of the matters under their care so that control remains in their hands. A competent minister has his or her hands on the reigns - and is in control at all times.
Clearly - this was not so with home insulation. Four people met untimely deaths. Hundreds of house fires resulted from shoddy work - and the full story remains untold - but over four thousand instances of fraud have been discovered so far.
Julia Gillard is trying to sheet home this debacle to the former Rudd government - but minister Peter Garrett is still a serving minister in her government. She explains away this enormous waste of money by claiming that " lessons have been learned ".
Not good enough ! Nomatter how blame is deflected - that buck is still hovering over the head of Peter Garrett !
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