Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Minister for Home Affairs cut funding to projects recommended by community safety experts in his department to fund projects in marginal and government-held electorates;

(b) the Minister for Home Affairs announced funding for two projects during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were finalised, before grant applications were written, and before his department had provided him with advice, which was the projects were "unsuitable and ineligible";

(c) the Minister for Home Affairs also gave $880,000 from the proceeds of crime to the National Retail Association after it made a donation to support the Minister's election campaign; and

(d) this is just the latest scandal involving the Government rorting taxpayers' money to advance its political interests; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister for Home Affairs to immediately explain his actions to the House for a period not exceeding 15 minutes.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Shortland from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Minister for Home Affairs cut funding to projects recommended by community safety experts in his department to fund projects in marginal and government-held electorates;

(b) the Minister for Home Affairs announced funding for two projects during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were finalised, before grant applications were written, and before his department had provided him with advice, which was the projects were "unsuitable and ineligible";

(c) the Minister for Home Affairs also gave $880,000 from the proceeds of crime to the National Retail Association after it made a donation to support the Minister's election campaign; and

(d) this is just the latest scandal involving the Government rorting taxpayers' money to advance its political interests; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister for Home Affairs to immediately explain his actions to the House for a period not exceeding 15 minutes.

This minister is trading votes for making the community less safe. He doesn't care about—

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