ABOVE: Neil Mitchell investigates what Peter Garrett is doing today, and why he believes that may mean 'something is about to happen'.

RELATED AUDIO:

• Garrett remains defiant

YOUR COMMENTS SO FAR:

Before the election Peter Garrett was disciplined for saying - "when we win, we'll just change everything"! Everywhere one looks, the change of government and all the changes are certainly not for the better of our once great nation.
Anna Cody Thursday 18 February, 2010 - 10:02 AM

Peter , you have made an ass out of yourself yet again. You should step down straight away. This proves that singers should stick to singing. It's almost as stupid as having a movie star as a govenor!!
adam Thursday 18 February, 2010 - 9:22 AM

typical old hippie with no idea should never have been a minister doesnt have the qualifications to be in the ministry an idiot always has been ,
ja Thursday 18 February, 2010 - 9:09 AM

Just forwarded a complaint re personal experience with roof insulation to the gov. environment website - requested inspection of work!! Apparently there will be a 'RESPONSE IN 20 DAYS' - in the meantime of course ANYTHING can happen!!!! Any suggestions?
Maria Thursday 18 February, 2010 - 1:20 AM

Col, we are not allowed to criticize the Liberal party (hush hush)~! Apparently 4 extremely regretable deaths are more important than 250,000 plus totally unnecessary civilian casualties in Iraq, even though both were political decisions. We are also not allowed to mention two words - WAR CRIMES~! Truly amazing~! :)
Lenny Tuesday 16 February, 2010 - 4:18 PM

You smirking clown go, now.
I hope your listeners keep the pressure up on this buffoon to
hit the frog and toe.MP Peter Garrett.
Mick Tuesday 16 February, 2010 - 12:25 AM

Get over it you right wing tools , Lets talk about The WAR CRIMES that John Howard committed to in Iraq,
Hush Hush
col Monday 15 February, 2010 - 11:30 PM

Garrett should certainly resign. He 'nailed his colours to the mast' when he joined the Labor Party, and in typical Labor fashion has managed to screw things up.
Lenny, Saddam Hussein would probably agree with you, it's just too bad he suffered the same fate he applied to thousands of people over his years of 'sadistic' rule.
As for oil, I guess he shared the same crave for it as Bush did. Saddam invaded Kuwait, because 'GREED' got the better of him. He then pilfered everything in Kuwait with his soldiers killing then driving back to Iraq with brand new Rolls-Royces, Bentley's, Ferrari's and everything else of value.
When the UN inspectors asked Saddam to show them suspect places of interest prior to the second Gulf War, any logical thinking Leader would have simply complied, for if one has nothing to hide, i.e. weaponry or materials that pose a threat to neighboring countries and the world, then one should have nothing to worry about being discovered/found. Saddam had plenty of opportunities, but threw them away, such was his arrogance, and was rightly hung as a result.
As for law, we can't even apply it right in this country, so there's fat chance of anything you've suggested happening. :-)
Gerard Monday 15 February, 2010 - 11:10 AM

I'd like to see him stand up and take responsibility and quit/ quit for good disappear so we never hear from him again he is nothing but a sell out and a sham politician.
M Monday 15 February, 2010 - 10:27 AM

Peter Garrett, Stay there and fight!
I'm an Electrician (tradesman) and if I do my job different to the rules and regulations I am held responsible and get fined for my mistakes not Energy Safe or any other higher administration.
Get them to go and chase the cowboys who installed the insulation or their employers who pushed them to work in such a manor without proper work safety ethics.
If it's ruled that you are responsible then they should also take the heat applied to us Electricians since privatisation.
Joe Saturday 13 February, 2010 - 6:20 PM

this creature should resign immediatley,he is responsible for the deaths of four young aussies, who never had a chance to enjoy life, he was warned that this could happen, he has to go, or rudd if he supports him.
jim taylor Saturday 13 February, 2010 - 1:08 PM

The Government is in a mess over this. I watched question time the other afternoon and they showed no sense of remorse that 4 men have died. Rather they tried to hide the whole issue by a continual attack on Barnaby Joyce (correct spelling?). Did we really vote this lot in. To use a line from another singing group's song "We won't be fooled again!"
Dennis
Dennis Saturday 13 February, 2010 - 12:51 PM

Peter Garret has absolutely NO credibility left now as He has done nothing but bungle evrything He becomes involved in. There is nothing more serious that has ever happened in the history of Politics than to lose 4 precious lives. "SORRY" on his T-shirt definitely won't work this time. He must resign before something similar is allowed to happen again as He obviously does not heed Professional warnings. Mr Garret should face the charges that would be imposed if this incident was the responsibility of a Company Director.
Minister for Death Saturday 13 February, 2010 - 9:46 AM

Hang on 4 dead children and its all Peter Garrett's fault, What about all the people that committed suicide because of a gambling addiction at the casino did the State Government warned about the risks on having casino's. I would love to see Melbourne's Crown Casino's suicide list
col Saturday 13 February, 2010 - 1:00 AM

At the end of the day, the Labor party passed on this being a safe installation. That it is not. 4 Mothers so far have lost their children. Don't blame the Contractors for putting kids up in the roof. That's all they can afford to pay, on today's rates. Most are of Indian background, that are cheap labor, just ask the Banks or Telstra. It is wrong, and they need to be licenced. Most tradesman on building sites these days are not qualified, and most of the time they can not even speak english. Cheaper, Cheaper - Open your eyes Australia, just another multi million dollar stuff up from Rudd and his shat full government again. Why keep voting for them ??? Blows me away.
Sandy Friday 12 February, 2010 - 10:15 PM

Should Garrett resign. Get real, the whole Labor Party should resign. All Australia has done is gone into massive debt. Nothing has changed, and most people and small business, pensioners are doing it tough. There is no money around, and the boom we had that Mr Costello created, and cash flow of business, that employs Australians is dead. Yeah mate buddy pal Rudd, your Party are going great guns, mate buddy pal. The most inexperienced government bench in history. We are only working it out now, it's to late Australia!!!
Ben Friday 12 February, 2010 - 10:01 PM

Well, if this isn't more about the opposition party chimps throwing c--p then I don't what this is.
I normally haven't supported this government's policies until now, and as I've seen in the past, massive amounts of our money has been wasted on 'committees' and perk-consuming meetings that do nothing. For once _something_ has been done fairly quickly to help Australians, and what do we do?
Well, you get the gist...
Possibly the whingers with the most time on their hands will think more about what they can do to help rather than what they can do ruin in our society.
Phil Friday 12 February, 2010 - 9:25 PM

TYPICAL LIBERAL MITCHELL~! If anyone had died as a result of the first home owner's grant, you would have laughed at the suggestion that Liberal politicians were responsible~! This is a state issue, particularly in relation to inadequately trained staff. The scheme always had the potential for 'cowboys' cashing in on 'easy money', and it was up to state governments to ensure workplace safety regulations were followed/adhered to. Instead of blaming 'Midnight Oil', focus on Afternoon & Evening Coal which will ultimately wipe out the planet~!
Lenny Friday 12 February, 2010 - 6:44 PM

MUST GO!! again the ALP supports its mates no matter what the outcome . Go on Ruddy do a song together , maybe do a singing kids book together. What a joke. Come on Australia lets see the back of these pretend(self proclaimed) leaders and speakers of the people. The people say go PETER. remember how u wanted the politicians to LISTEN to the people.
real Friday 12 February, 2010 - 5:15 PM

Whilst not a fan of Peter Garrett I believe we are missing the whole point. The deaths that occured where a direct responsibility of those in charge of the work place, the employer. They are the ones responsible to ensure worker safety. This was recognised by the different State Safety Authourities and others in their supposed warnings about the program.They recognised that shoddy operators were already or would enter the industry. What action did they take at the state level to ensure safety in the workeplace after the first death.Was warning the Feds the end of their responsibility. What action the unions.Where was the HIA, MBA, and others. What about building electrical codes for domestic dwellings. Where were the State Governments or where they silent due to the employment boom on offer. To blame the person who pays some of the bill is like blaming the home owner for engaging particular contrators.It just brings home how little importance safety plays in the domestic construction idustry and the lack of adherance to any kind of standards. Its all Peter Garretts fault.
Lindsay Robertson Friday 12 February, 2010 - 1:41 PM

Good on you Bob Katter!
Garratt is the perfect prototype ALP Minister - No responsibility No accountability No benefit to anyone Lots of waste No morals No ethics Destroys lives - Whatever it takes comrades huh?!!
Graham Fraser Friday 12 February, 2010 - 11:35 AM

I feel so sorry for the families of those 4. I 'trained' for 5 minutes as an assessor and then became privy to my company checking on over 1000 previously insulated jobs! The most frightening was a large Aged Care establishment that took 10 installers over a week to rectify. Garrett has to go. When the scheme was instituted there were MINIMAL guidelines ........... so the shonks (and some of the established) insulation companies took short cuts and employed anyone , so that they wouldn't miss out on the cash bonanza.
PatheticPeter Friday 12 February, 2010 - 10:08 AM

Yes Peter Garrett should resign. He is a pretend poly.
anna Friday 12 February, 2010 - 10:04 AM

Garrett struted around at the 2000 olympics with sorry on his tshirt . He hasn't even rung the parents of the 4 dead children and say I'm sorry for your loss.
Mark Friday 12 February, 2010 - 9:20 AM

Hey lets just spend more millions of dollars.
We have plenty to spend.
Whats a few tens of millions of dollars her and there.
Bozo Friday 12 February, 2010 - 6:59 AM

Funny how it's always the government's fault. Shonky tradesman are never to blame. Small business is Australia's sacred cow.
Mind you, those noisily blaming the government are the party of deregulation
col Friday 12 February, 2010 - 1:01 AM

Well said Alexas (my type of girl :-). Bea... long live Labor??? And no doubt live the scumbags who have given us a financial burden that WILL take forever and a day to repay (as Barnaby rightly claims).
Labor is, has and always will be a 'NOTHING GOVERNMENT'!
Four Labor Leaders are proof of this; Whitlam, Hawke, Keating and now 'Cretin07' who's sad and totally see though self indulging selling campaign; 'Mr Howard just doesn't get it...!' Was a complete and utter JOKE by a pint-sized, pigeon toed 'JOKER'!
As for Garrett, he's not even worthy of a mention.
Those who vote Labor are the non-thinking, gullible Neanderthals of this world, because only such people would believe the proverbial crap that comes out from the holes under KRudd & Co's noses! And of course, who am I to leave out Brumby aka 'Spin Doctor John'...???
Gerard Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 9:42 PM

Why are we blaming Peter for this, its stupid employers not training their staff properly.
Why do we need the government to hold our hands and tell us how to do everything.

ALPs guide to buttering toast.

Step 1 Put bread in toaster.
Step 2 Wait for it to pop.
Step 3 Take toast from toaster
Step 4 Spread appropriate spread.

Oh my god it tastes terrible I'm blaming the government, they did not tell me not to mix Jam, Vegemite, Tuna and Sand on my toast.

Are we really getting to this stage of stupidity?

I mean really, theres a wire in the roof, let me just hammer this metal clip into it, that should be ok shouldn't it......

Why aren't the employers or even employees taking responsability for their own safety?
Charley Anderson Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 8:00 PM

How can we sleep when the world is turning?
How can we sleep when our beds areburning?
Jump! You idiot.
Howard lanfranchi Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 6:19 PM

You now what mate (Rudds term) Your Labor goverment is bordering on incompetent, if they are re-elected god help us all. Oh and AW did print your statements.
alexas Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 3:00 PM

I honestly cannot understand his rationale(Garrett). He was a political commentator/activist through his music and now he is simple a puppet for Rudds Labor machine. With all his money he would be best to go back to private life and be himself and act/talk honestly. However I think what he has done by entering into politics has damaged his credibilty irreversably.
alexas Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 2:49 PM

LONG LIVE THE LABOR GOVERNMENT....
Bea Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 2:34 PM

Yet again I have proved that AW is biased against Labor ...WOW is that news..!!
They simpy don't put up any commments they don't want you blinkered AW listeners to read! Print that one I dare you!
Bea Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 2:28 PM

Yes it is easy to take his lyrics and use them in a brainless and predictable way.
The point is, as a former Midnight Oil fan myself, the man has deteriorated into a typical blubbering politician who's great political message through his lyrics are now completely hypocritical. has he made a difference in politics? No!
If a Dirctor of a company set a policy direction that caused the death or injury of employees or the public, caused damage to property, and encouraged dodgy practices through marketing, that Director would be held legally liable. Even if that Director was simply being advised by his advisers (employees). Why does this not apply to politicians?
Arthur Merrington Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 2:17 PM

You know what Mate...Im sick of this goverment. They talk a lot and do nothing and what they do they dont get right...i.e. action against japan on whales issue...emmission trading flop..education revolution in a stall..etc etc etc Its time some one took responibilty for one of their stuff ups.
alexas Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 1:34 PM

Mitchell hath murdered sleep! How will you sleep tonight after blatantly blaming one man for the deaths of people's children? Have you no scruples? Shock Jocking far worse than the commercial stations I was trying to avoid.
Triana Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 12:40 PM

Neil,
Why would Kevin Rudd act on Garrett's poor performance, once again, when Rudd himself is continuing to show his incompetence, and in Rudd's words, "and you know what?'we, the voters are to blame. We pay peanuts, "and u know what?' we getmonkeys.
vernon hyrapiet Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 11:20 AM

Why Should Peter Garrett resign its someone in his office that stuffed up
col Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 11:05 AM

We wouldn't have needed ANY financial stimulus to recharge our economy, had it not been for typical Liberal Party Politics & Greed in the US (the Repugnant Party), using NINJA loads (No Income, No Job, but loan Approved), just to feed company profits~! Once people defaulted on their dodgy loans, the whole deck of cards crashed. Greedy banks were left with massive foreclosures, house prices spiraling downwards, and the whole financial sector collapsing~! In TYPICAL Liberal Party fashion, the bankers still made mega PROFITS~! Some things never change~! :)
Lenny Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 11:01 AM

labour was trying to be smart by putting a supposed personality into the job to try for votes
but it has backfired.
That's what you get for putting unqualified people into these jobs.
We don't need him
Dazza Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 10:30 AM

Is that the best you can do? Reference a 20+ year old song, my God how witty and original. Pathetic!
james Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 10:28 AM

We all know Liberal Party politics - GET IN/GET OUT, and worry about the problems 10 years down the track~!
Lenny Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 10:23 AM

Of course more beds are on fire, what else would you expect under a Liberal Party driven building industry - short cuts & screwing wages/profits down to the point where contractors struggle to make a decent living~! The issue is NOT about the fitting of insulation, the issue is SUB STANDARD electrical contractors incorrectly wiring houses to maximize profits, as per typical Liberal Party greed & philosophy~!
Lenny Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 10:20 AM

Mr Garrett, how can you sleep when our beds are burning?
Arthur Merrington Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 10:00 AM

Foil is just the tip of the iceberf - There have been dozens of housefires in all states being investigated as a result of shoddy batt insulations over downlights etc. One fire started whilst the "contractors" were still on site cleaning up.
Considering the number of insulations (100's of thousands) this risk could last for years without and inspect- tHer have been numerous articles and warnings in natioanl papers on this issue
Geoff Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 9:50 AM

Who's bed is burning now.....
Peter Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 9:41 AM

mmm, perhaps more investigation is needed into the poorly wired roof areas before workers go in there.

if home owners have exposed wires and expect free/cheap insulation to be fitted by the cheapest labour then they should be held accountable.

sure the GovInc has ballsed it up but the danger was already there.

D
CCC Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 9:05 AM

wHAT ABOUT OH&S BEING APPLIED BY COMPANIES. NO POLITICIAN CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR CROOK BOSS WHO IS IN IT FOR MONEY & DOESN'T CARE ABOUT STAFF TRAINING WHICH COSTS TIME - EQUALING MONEY.

IT IS UP TO THEM TO MAKE SURE STAFF ARE TRAINED & THEY SHOULD HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE WITH THEM. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ALL ACTUAL WORKERS SEEM TO BE INDIAN STUDENTS IN MY AREA.

THEY WOULD THINK IT IS NORMAL AFTER SEEING HOW THEY WORK OVER THERE WITHOUT ANY O H & S.
MARGARET Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 8:52 AM

he should go back to singing rock and roll
Mark Thursday 11 February, 2010 - 8:44 AM