Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Why did the minister announce two Safer Communities Fund grants during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were written, before grant applications were written and before his department had provided him with advice, which was that the projects were both unsuitable and ineligible?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I want to quote the Waratah-Wynyard mayor, Robby Walsh, who said with regard to funding for the CCTV cameras:

I think it's a great, positive move that will assist with both Somerset and Wynyard in curtailing vandalism and detect incidents.

Why have we provided funding to local communities? Because we want to keep people safe. The decisions have been made in relation to these grants—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Hill interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. The member for Bruce will leave under 94(a). The minister's concluded his answer.