Turnbull claims he thought of the policy he opposes

Insulating houses has been a big ticket item in the government's stimulus package; a plan fought tooth and nail by the tory opposition as "fiscally irresponsible".

However, it now comes to light that the plan slammed by tory leader Malcolm Turnbull, was his own in opposition.

Turnbull approached then PM Howard who signed off on the scheme immediately, but it was shut down by Costello as a waste of cash.

Turnbull however, didn't ditch the plan there. He kept quiet about the scheme, until Kevin Rudd launched it as part of his stimulus package. Hearing "his" idea discussed in public Turnbull blurted out at a doorstop:

[I] made the point that it represents probably the single biggest opportunity for straightforward, easy gains in energy efficiency. So it’s a very important area.

Days later he had changed tact somewhat. The policy he supported was now obviously still unpopular within Tory ranks, so he rephrased his comment on the matter:

We would support an insulation subsidy of a lower amount

But of course they didn't. The Turnbull opposition opposed the legislation in its entirety in favour of a scare campaign. Turnbull cast off his own idea and a concept he had labelled the "biggest opportunity for ... easy gains in energy efficiency" as part of a "spending binge".

Its tragic to think that the tories got so close to an innovative policy, yet ran so far.

Read the full debacle here.