Midnight Oil frontman removed from Australian government

Former Midnight Oil singer now politician Peter Garrett has become the scapegoat for the Australian governments nation insulation frustration.

While Australians are singing "how can you sleep when your roof is burning" along to that classic Midnight Oil, Garrett has taken the heat head on and has been removed from his portfolio as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts.

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the changes to his ministry at around 6.30pm Friday evening, after the commercial TV news services had finished and too late for the morning's press.

Rudd has moved Garrett to the new role of Minister for Environmental Protection, Heritage and the Arts and promoted Senator Penny Wong to Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water.

She will take over the responsibility for the insulation bungle where under Garrett's watch Australian homeowners were given free insulation by sometimes unqualified tradesman and now face a fire hazard in their homes.

Four people have died and 96 fires have started in Aussie homes following the introduction of the scheme.



Undercover.com.au