tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post746395421221251422..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Saturday Morning Musings – public administration, dashboards and pink battsJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-65181201619531048652014-05-19T18:22:43.367+10:002014-05-19T18:22:43.367+10:00We are equally grumpy in this case, kvd, and for v...We are equally grumpy in this case, kvd, and for very similar reasons. Disentangling. <br /><br />I think Mr Aboot's reaction was arguably hypocritical.In any case, it was way over the top. It created a precedent that is likely to come back to haunt, and it adds to the difficulty in actually reforming public administration. <br /><br />You may well be right in your comments on the success of the program. I will be interested to see just how the Commission goes on this point, given its terms of reference.<br /><br />There is an issue about the failure to flag the first death. Why did this happen? In normal practice, that should have happened. However, some of the channels were broken.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see what conclusion the Commission comes to on cancellation.Was it as its seems to me just a panic reaction? It imposed costs. <br /><br />Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-11777273595091454602014-05-19T14:37:44.975+10:002014-05-19T14:37:44.975+10:00Fair comment Jim. If you will allow a curt comment...Fair comment Jim. If you will allow a curt comment from a grumpy old man, I would suggest there is far too much emphasis upon "what went wrong?" as compared to "without which, where would we have been?".<br /><br />I can't find in any of this an acknowledgement of what I would naively term the "success" of a program rolled out very quickly, for great immediate national benefit, and with ongoing payback via reduced electricity demand.<br /><br />And I thought Mr Abbott's "sh-t happens" comment was entirely unexceptional, despite the furore. I thought his reaction to 'pink batts' (and school buildings for that matter) was extreme hypocrisy.<br /><br />I am just very tired of the endless manufactured angst from both sides.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-13032383890802880762014-05-19T12:44:01.674+10:002014-05-19T12:44:01.674+10:00Thanks for this, kvd. We did canvas some of these ...Thanks for this, kvd. We did canvas some of these issues at the time, but this is a useful reminder. It doesn't affect the cabinet confidentiality point, but may affect the thrust or at least the weighting attached to the points I made. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-68806506933118973662014-05-19T08:40:24.234+10:002014-05-19T08:40:24.234+10:00Jim
Now to your commentary on the Home Insulation...Jim<br /><br />Now to your commentary on the Home Insulation RC:<br /><br />1) If you review the terms of reference I believe it fair to say that the primary concerns nominated for review are regard for workplace health and safety, financial and emotional loss arising from the associated fires and deaths, and the effect upon pre-existing HI businesses.<br /><br />2) On fires, it would appear that the industry average in fact decreased from 1.31 fires per 1000 installs to 0.16 per 1000. Or, put another way, prior to the program there was a history of 1 fire for every 765 installs - compared to 1 fire for every 6158 install. I find that quite remarkable.<br /><br />3) On deaths, the Queensland Coroner reported the first death could be sheeted home to lack of training, supervision, and the use of metal staples on foil insulation. The second death by electrocution (again by metal staples thru foil) occurred despite proper training, and provision of plastic stapling <br />which for some reason was not used by the installer. The third death by electrocution occurred whilst installing batts not foil, and was caused by an earlier tradesman unwittingly making a metal batten 'live'.<br /><br />With the possible exception of the first death, and maybe the fourth NSW death, I find it hard to see how these can be the result of anything done, or not done, by any part of the Public Service chain - right up to Cabinet. <br /><br />Nevertheless, if that is where blame lies, I would expect in all fairness that if this current budget is passed in toto, Cabinet will assume full responsibility for any adverse events arising from same. I am thinking here particularly of youth suicide, crime associated with unemployment, and drug use or other unsafe behavior.<br /><br />The Public Service should be applauded for quickly rolling out the HIP; it could be chastised for the process of payment verification. It is a very long bow to suggest the Cabinet and particularly the PM be held personally responsible for the deaths, the fires; perhaps the inadequate administration - but even then only a "buck stops here" basis.<br /><br />Just my tuppence.<br /><br />kvd<br /><br />fires: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2010/10/19/insulation-fire-risk-%E2%80%93-the-data-is-in/<br /><br />deaths: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/7/8/smart-energy/lessons-insulation-deaths<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-73023193080848720402014-05-18T11:09:47.311+10:002014-05-18T11:09:47.311+10:00Good morning, kvd. Have to take Clare to hockey an...Good morning, kvd. Have to take Clare to hockey and have also promised her roast pork, so I need to get going! Will try later today.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-78597811285630767572014-05-18T08:40:31.723+10:002014-05-18T08:40:31.723+10:00Geez, that was badly composed! Am in a hurry to ge...Geez, that was badly composed! Am in a hurry to get a real life this a.m.<br /><br />4) should be appended with", then click on the appropriate returned search result"<br /><br />And here's a bucket of "s )s and .s missing from my typing - at no extra charge :)<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-55654817553771986462014-05-18T08:33:59.944+10:002014-05-18T08:33:59.944+10:00Jim, on restricted access to The Australian - try ...Jim, on restricted access to The Australian - try these steps:<br /><br />1) On this mornings Aus the first article is "Welfare leaders back GST reform"<br /><br />2) In your browser (mine is Firefox) hit CTRL-Shift-P to open up a "private browsing window.<br /><br />3) bring up Google - I assume you have this book-marked<br /><br />4) Enter as search text the headline (as for instance noted in 1 above<br /><br />5) X the grey 'premium content' notice.<br /><br />6) The article is there in full - proof - the 6th para reads <i>Mr Howard said this week he was “absolutely certain we will be debating the character of the GST in the not too distant future”.</i><br /><br />Takes maybe 3 seconds with practice.<br /><br />kvd<br />ps I will come back to your "batty" observations a little later.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com