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Sunday February 12, 2012

What we're talking about

  • Pauline on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS have destroyed my own family. They failed in their duty of care to provide a baby moniter for the deaf , thousands of ... more
  • Christine on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' isn't it funny how DHS don't recognise the psychological effects of domestic violence on children and continue to allow ... more
  • Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' There is a family In the Cairns Area who are Foster Carers.Atherton Child Safety have threatened the carers and own ... more
  • duncan on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i have spent time with this family. it is a house full of love. "mum", grandfather and older sblings.this cannot be an issue ... more
  • Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Family Law is different from the rest of the law in this country.. Ie. Family Law is based on probability: ie if it might ... more
  • carol annetta on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' having known this family for some time i am disgusted with the treatment she has received. it seems more of a witch hunt ... more
  • Maureen Hillary on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn,I have counselled traumatized parents as a result of DHS staff.There are great staff workers who care but they ... more
  • Janet Tavener on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I am a visitor to this country.My attention was drawn to the case of these children and their foster mother by a relative of ... more
  • sam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Happening in Tasmania also.Wewon a court case over 8 months ago and due process still hasn't been done.We spent 17,000 ... more
  • Anne Glover on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I just cannot believe what the DHS has put the Foster Mother, and the children through - I thought the DHS was supposed to ... more
  • Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS are the most disgraceful organization I have ever had the displeasure of becoming involved with. They are so ... more
  • Vicki on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn,I have known this carer since primary school, she has always put others above herself. Being a carer myself I know ... more
  • Gran'ma Pam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' As any of us with any sense know, these children should NEVER have been taken from this lady (mum) in the first place, they ... more
  • Dominic Lombardo on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I see my daughter every six months DHS are conducting a vendetta against me I have not been told why I can only see her ... more
  • cassy houghton on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hello Derryn,Firstly i would like to thankyou for your support and the willingness to help this beautiful family.I ... more
  • Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Im a carer also in Qld. I see this happen way too much from our Government. They are starting to use Carers own children as ... more
  • paul on "I'll pay the fee," says Hinch I believe what Liberal Party has done is stupid. But I feel for candidates like Joh Bauch and James Buonopane who want to ... more
  • Andrea on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Why are these public servants allowed to blatantly flout the law without the same consequences the rest of society faces? I ... more
  • birth mother on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i am the birth morther of these 4 children and i just want to say dhs dont care they just want the kids in care so they can ... more
  • Frances Goff on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn, Firstly, Happy BirthdayHaving worked in a primary school for 15 year I have seen some terrible things regarding DHS ... more

Hinch Blog: The Sadim touch

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 19 March, 2010 - 5:12 PM
Derryn Hinch

I don't want to panic anybody but imagine this ghastly scenario. A country school catches fire. Five kids and a teacher are killed. Others terribly burned.

When they investigate the cause of that fire they trace it to newly installed carpet. Carpet that did not meet regulation safety standards on things like flammability and toxic fumes.

That's a hypothetical. But I have been given some disturbing information that shows the same thing that happened with the government's fatally-mismanaged insulation program is also happening with its school improvement scheme.

It seems that shonks and quick buck artists have just breezed into this one. Remember four people died before the insulation scandal really got the Government's attention.

It is bad enough that under the much-vaunted Building the Education Revolution scheme schools have been charged over-charged hundreds of thousands of dollars for tin sheds and prefab shelters passed off as libraries and gymnasiums.

But shoddy and dangerous carpets in schools are the big worry. The risks to children are real. And this is a dangerous scandal.

Stringent specifications exist regarding the type of carpet installed in schools. Understandably, the carpet and underlay must be of very low combustibility and emit very low toxicity in case of fire. That’s why the installation of new carpet in schools is usually expensive.
 
One man who has spent two decades in the flooring business has been closely involved in the tender business as part of the schools' program and has repeatedly been severely undercut and outbid by smaller operators even though they don’t have the same purchasing power. 

Quotations are now lower than cost. How come? The carpet and underlay being installed are of a very high combustibility and extremely toxic once alight. Cheap and nasty. And dangerous.

Why should we be surprised when the insulation rort was so widespread they were using inferior batts loaded with formaldehyde and even some made out of shredded Yellow Pages?

I hope we can nail this one before there is a fatal school fire and the Government will not be able to say: We didn't know.

Footnote:  With the insulation scandal, the school building rorts, the Green Loans stuff up, the heater system scam ... I'm starting to think the Rudd Government has the Sadim Touch. You know what the Sadim Touch is? Everything they touch doesn't turn to gold. It turns to crap!

Blog comments Your Say

  • Agreed Paul Dibers. Melbourne Victory are again in the final of the A-League and what do we hear from media like 3AW? Nothing, not a whisper. Frankly it's a little hard to take Derryn Hinch's tub-thumping and outrage over his daily cause celebre seriously when he duly (dully?) toes the line when it comes to soccer in this country. It must drive them all crazy that the A-League is doing so well, and the stereotypes of racial violence are not materialising. Meanwhile AFL supporters and players run amok all over the country and no-one seems to mind. It's plain prejudice.

    Ron Holmes Saturday 20 March, 2010 - 10:19 PM

  • Hi Derryn,

    I have been listening to your program for many years on my way home from work. I have a 60 minute drive home each night and look forward to turning the dial to 3AW.You cover some brilliant topics. I have to admit that those days are limited due to the fact that you always seem to neglect to make comment about the game I am passionate about. Why do you always neglect to mention highlights regarding the game of Football (Soccer). Typical example was the sports report today with Tony Jones. Surely with the Grand Final one day away you could go out of your way to make a comment.
    I would as go as far to say that both yourself and Mr Jones have been instructed by the cronies not to make any comment...although you always go out of your way to report any negatives that may arise from time to time.

    Of course you are an AFL station, that is as obvious as tomorrow is Saturday.

    I would have thought that a person of your standing and principle would not allow this to go on as I am sure you do not hate the sport like others in the 3AW hierarchy.
    I never thought you were one to tow the line so easily! I hope I am wrong.

    Anyway,tomorrows game is close to a sell-out and we all hope that Melbourne win.

    Have a good weekend.

    Paul Dibers Friday 19 March, 2010 - 8:42 PM

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