The federal government has been accused of trying to score political points by pressing ahead with its promised judicial inquiry into Labor’s bungled home insulation scheme.

The draft terms of reference for a judicial commission into the scheme reveal Kevin Rudd and other senior members of his former government could be forced to front an inquiry, News Corp reports.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott pledged during the election campaign to launch a judicial inquiry into the 2008 home insulation scheme, which led to the deaths of four young tradesmen.

In July, a Queensland coroner found the rushed rollout of the scheme was a significant factor in the deaths of three young installers in the state. A fourth died in NSW.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said on Sunday Labor would support any process that improved workplace safety, but he questioned the motivation behind leaking details of the inquiry to media.

“I do think that does question whether this is more a political process or a process designed to get to better workplace safety,” he told Network Ten.

He said there had been eight inquiries into the program, and every recommendation had been adopted by the former Labor government.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said the families of those killed deserved answers, but if the government was serious about ensuring this didn’t happen again, there was a lot more to be done.

“It’s purely political,” Senator Milne told ABC TV on Sunday.