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

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Minister for Home Affairs arbitrarily rejected merit-based recommendations made by his Department for the distribution of Safer Communities Fund grants;

(b) the Minister for Home Affairs cut funding to a number of projects recommended by his Department in order to fund projects in marginal and Government-held electorates;

(c) the Minister for Home Affairs announced funding for two projects during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were written, spent more than $36,000 on Royal Australian Air Force jet flights for associated travel, and went ahead and funded those projects even though his own Department advised him that they were "unsuitable and ineligible" for funding;

(d) the Minister for Home Affairs also fast-tracked an $880,000 grant to the National Retail Association one week after a $1,500 donation was made to the Liberal National Party to support the Minister's election campaign;

(e) this Government has a proven history of rorting taxpayer-funded grant schemes for its own political benefit, including sports rorts; and

(f) the Minister for Home Affairs has prioritised his political fortunes over his responsibility to keep Australian communities safe; and

(2) calls on the Minister for Home Affairs to attend the Chamber immediately to explain his actions.

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 forthwith:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Minister for Home Affairs arbitrarily rejected merit-based recommendations made by his Department for the distribution of Safer Communities Fund grants;

(b) the Minister for Home Affairs cut funding to a number of projects recommended by his Department in order to fund projects in marginal and Government-held electorates;

(c) the Minister for Home Affairs announced funding for two projects during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were written, spent more than $36,000 on Royal Australian Air Force jet flights for associated travel, and went ahead and funded those projects even though his own Department advised him that they were "unsuitable and ineligible" for funding;

(d) the Minister for Home Affairs also fast-tracked an $880,000 grant to the National Retail Association one week after a $1,500 donation was made to the Liberal National Party to support the Minister's election campaign;

(e) this Government has a proven history of rorting taxpayer-funded grant schemes for its own political benefit, including sports rorts; and

(f) the Minister for Home Affairs has prioritised his political fortunes over his responsibility to keep Australian communities safe; and

(2) calls on the Minister for Home Affairs to attend the Chamber immediately to explain his actions.

Dirty Dutton dirt cheap! This minister sacrificed safety for buying political—

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no further heard.

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

Is the motion seconded?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. Rorts, rorts and more rorts, and Peter Dutton is up to his neck in it!

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

The member for Isaacs will resume his seat—and I would just remind him to refer to members by their correct titles. The Leader of the House.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member for Isaacs be no further heard.

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

The question now is that the motion moved be agreed to. I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sports rorts 2.0—this government can't tell the difference between public money and—

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

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Leader of the House.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be now put.

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

The question is that the question be now put.

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

The question is that the motion be disagreed to.