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Rudd set to face installer victim’s family

The family of a young Queensland man killed installing home insulation could come face to face with former prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Mr Rudd is returning to Brisbane Magistrates Court, for a second day, to give evidence at the royal commission into his government’s bungled $2.8 billion scheme, which has been linked to four deaths and more than 200 house fires.

But with the royal comission running a little behind schedule, the family of Mitchell Sweeney could appear first on Thursday morning.

It four years and three months since Mr Sweeney, 22, was electrocuted laying insulation sheeting at a home in far north Queensland.

The home insulation scheme was stopped in February 2010 – two weeks after his death.

Mr Rudd appeared at the inquiry on Wednesday but did not give evidence as his barrister Bret Walker, SC, argued he should be able to give a full and frank account of his involvement in the stimulus program, including what happened in the cabinet room.

The former prime minister refused to swear on oath, arguing his evidence shouldn’t be censored under cabinet confidentiality rules.

Mr Walker also criticised the federal coalition government for defying a century-old convention by providing cabinet documents to the $20 million inquiry.

The hearing before commissioner Ian Hanger, QC, are set to resume at 9.30am.

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