Fluffy asbestos royal commission 'not a priority': Chief Minister Andrew Barr told Malcolm Turnbull

"The proposal for a royal commission into the Commonwealth, NSW and ACT governments' response to the toxic legacy of loose-fill asbestos in over 1000 Canberra region homes (Mr Fluffy), whilst important, is not a priority," Mr Barr wrote to Malcolm Turnbull in December. "The current priority is to focus our efforts on supporting residents."

Mr Turnbull responded, "I agree with you that an inquiry into the government's response – whilst important – is not a priority, and that the focus should continue to be supporting residents in contaminated homes."

Mr Barr finally released the correspondence between himself, Mr Turnbull and NSW Premier Mike Baird this week after months of requests from this newspaper and from the Liberal opposition.

A freedom-of-information request from Fluffy Full Disclosure group spokeswoman Felicity Prideaux earlier this year for all information relating to requests for support to establish an inquiry failed to unearth the correspondence. The department told her in June that despite extensive and thorough searches, no relevant documents had been found.

A spokesman for Mr Barr said at the time that correspondence did exist and the response to Ms Prideaux's freedom-of-information request looked to have been an administrative error.

Mr Barr has now released the correspondence.

Despite the letters in which Mr Barr says an inquiry is not a priority, Mr Barr said he had made "strong representations" to both men in meetings with on November 12 and 24.

"In both meetings I argued strongly for their involvement. I noted the necessity of Commonwealth co-operation and support for any inquiry to be worthwhile …

"I also made it clear that the ACT government's top priority was supporting residents impacted by loose-fill asbestos contaminated homes and this is something we were all able to agree on."

His explanation sits uncomfortably alongside his letter to Mr Baird, which repeats what he wrote to Mr Turnbull, and adds, "At a recent meeting with the Prime Minister, I confirmed our similar positions on this issue."

Mr Barr agreed last October to ask the federal and NSW governments for support for an inquiry, after he was forced by a vote in the ACT Parliament. The Liberals put a motion to the Assembly calling for an inquiry, but it was defeated by Labor and the Greens' Shane Rattenbury, who sided with Labor in return for Mr Barr agreeing to push the issue nationally.

It has not been clear since then precisely what Mr Barr asked of Mr Turnbull. In March, he said he had asked for financial support, which had been refused.

In estimates hearings in June, he said he was "waiting upon the Commonwealth" before holding an inquiry.

"I have written [to Mr Turnbull and Mr Baird] and raised it personally one-on-one with them. Neither is particularly interested," Mr Barr said, but he would "check that there has not been a change in the Commonwealth's position" after the July federal election.

Asked whether he was satisfied with Mr Barr's approach to Mr Turnbull, Mr Rattenbury said he understood Mr Barr had made the case in person.

"I am disappointed at the rebuff he received, but what is really disappointing is the complete lack of action from the Canberra Liberals in taking this up with their federal counterparts. They don't seem to have made any effort to convince their federal counterparts on the merits of a joint inquiry," he said.

The Liberals have promised to hold a board of inquiry if they win government in October.

Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson accused Mr Barr of making a "deliberate attempt to delay the inquiry", suggesting he did not want scrutiny of Labor's handling of the asbestos contamination.

Mr Barr has said the deadly loose-fill asbestos insulation was pumped into more than 1000 Canberra houses on the Commonwealth's watch, before self-government. Self-government coincided with the clean-up program of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and since then the ACT has been responsible.