Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Gippsland has brought this motion in relation to a grant program. That's a pretty gutsy thing for the member to do, given the atrocious record of the coalition on grants programs over the last few years before we came to office. The member has chosen what he must think is the coalition's least-rorted grants program—that's a matter of perspective and something we have to judge relative to others.

We know that the Building Better Regions Fund was heavily rorted. The Auditor-General found that almost two-thirds of the money in that scheme, run by a series of Nationals ministers, went to projects that did not have the most merit. And what did the member for New England say? He said he didn't care if people called it pork-barrelling. Well, we do care, and the Australian people care and voted accordingly, and we are fixing the system now.

The commuter car park program was heavily rorted by the coalition. According to the National Audit Office, a list of the top 20 marginal electorates guided the distribution of $389 million from the pork-and-ride fund, with 77 per cent in coalition electorates rather than in areas of true congestion needs.

A government member: Congestion only happens in Liberal electorates!

Apparently! And who could forget the Community Support and Infrastructure Grant program, rorted to the extent that eventually the coalition minister had to resign in disgrace. Was there spillage into other areas of government from the mishandling and rorting of those grants programs I have mentioned? Of course there was. It was the whole culture of the Liberal and National government that was at fault.

On a positive, look at the new, transparent and fair grants that are now available to communities under this government. The Thriving Suburbs Grant, $200 million commencing from next year, is an investment in locally driven urban and suburban infrastructure and community projects. The Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program has $150 million commencing from next year, investing in urban infrastructure, connecting people and communities and services and opportunities that improve liveability and inclusion.

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