Rudd reappears at home insulation inquiry
Former PM Kevin Rudd has accepted "ultimate responsibility" for Labor's botched home insulation program at the royal commission of inquiry in Brisbane.
"I have accepted ultimate responsibility for what was not just bad, but in this case, a deep tragedy, as it affected the lives of the families concerned," he said.
Mr Rudd also said the insulation program was terminated on advice of senior public servants when the taskforce was highly critical of occupational health and safety elements.
Earlier he said he's no handyman and had no idea what installing batts entailed at an inquiry into Labor's botched home insulation program.
Allowances have been made to break cabinet confidentiality in an extraordinary legal precedent at the royal commission's inquest.
Mr Rudd also expressed his sorrow for the workers' families, who were still reeling from losing loved ones.
"No one can pretend to know the depths of pain and loss of a family member," he said.
He also explained that the program was originally meant to be much smaller than it turned out.
"Ministers were particularly focused on this home insulation program because of fear of unemployment on low-skilled workers," he said.
"Safety is not an optional question for any government to dictate in a capital program."
The family of a young man killed in the scheme is also due to give evidence.
Mr Rudd has returned to Brisbane Magistrates Court, for his second day, before the royal commission into his government's bungled $2.8 billion scheme, which has been linked to four deaths and more than 200 house fires.
But with the royal comission running a little behind schedule, the family of Mitchell Sweeney could appear first on Thursday morning.
It's been four years and three months since Mr Sweeney, 22, was electrocuted laying insulation sheeting at a home in far north Queensland.
The home insulation scheme was stopped in February 2010 - two weeks after his death.
Mr Rudd appeared at the inquiry on Wednesday but did not give evidence as his barrister Bret Walker, SC, argued he should be able to give a full and frank account of his involvement in the stimulus program, including what happened in the cabinet room.
The former prime minister refused to swear on oath, arguing his evidence shouldn't be censored under cabinet confidentiality rules.
Mr Walker also criticised the federal coalition government for defying a century-old convention by providing cabinet documents to the $20 million inquiry.
The hearing before commissioner Ian Hanger, QC, are set to resume at 9.30am.
