So, Australia’s federal government had to be seen to be doing something to counter the Global Financial Crisis. That’s understandable as is their ever-present desire to interfere in the affairs of its citizens, particularly if it can send us the bill for what is essentially a ‘vote buying’ exercise.
Well guess what?
They decided there would be some votes in filling a million homes’ ceilings with pink-batt insulation.
Something never considered being the legitimate task of government, by the framers of Australia’s Constitution. Not a particularly difficult task, but one better organized by homeowners themselves.
Yet, guess what?
It didn’t go so well.
The cost of the botched job on the first pass has been $2.5 billion, with four deaths, 172 house fires and thousands of electrified ceilings.
Really no surprise that it didn’t go so well, but here is the real rub.
We have now been sent the bill for another $41 million, to pay off those people who should never have been stuffing our ceilings full of pink batts in the first place.
All this at a time when Australia cries out about a skills shortage, where industry is desperately seeking people for real productive jobs.
Talking of skills!
If this botched exercise reveals the skills level that we have in Canberra, can I ask … ‘Are these the same people that now seek to fix our health care and hospitals?’
What do you think?
“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” — Will Rogers
“The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.” — Milton Friedman