“I can’t stand Peter Garrett… just hearing his voice brings back all those memories”. 

Mr Garrett, the ex-Midnight Oil frontman, was also the minister responsible for the former Rudd Labor Government’s failed Home Insulation Program. 

In February 2010, Mrs Sweeney's son, Mitchell, aged 22, was electrocuted in the roof cavity of a home in far north Queensland while working with reflective foil laminate, under what was also known as the pink batts scheme.

Now, on the eve of the eighth anniversary of her son’s death on Sunday, another event has triggered those painful memories. 

“I was dismayed and upset to hear that the pink batts scheme is once again in the news,” she said. 

On Thursday, ABC news reported on misplaced Cabinet documents which reportedly showed then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was warned about "critical risks" associated with the program.

“I still can't comprehend how a scheme such as this was rolled out before every aspect of it was thoroughly checked, especially the safety factor,” Mrs Sweeney said. 

“After the first death why were there no questions asked about the safety of the scheme. Why did three more boys have to lose their lives before the scheme was finally stopped.”

In response the the ABC reports, Mr Rudd has strongly denied he knew about the safety risks beforehand. But Mrs Sweeney is not convinced.

“How can Mr Rudd say that they weren't warned about the safety issues. If he thought that he hadn't been notified about any risks in the scheme why didn't he follow up on it and ensure that every box had been ticked before the scheme began”.

“Also, why weren't rules put in place to stop all the unscrupulous operators from starting up companies to cash in on the scheme. They obviously didn't care about the safety of their workers. They just wanted to make as much money as they could.”

“All the politicians and personnel involved should hang their heads in shame that they allowed such a scheme to be introduced without safeguards in place to prevent accidents.”

The eighth anniversary of Mitchell Sweeney’s death is on Sunday, February 4. If alive, he would have been 30.