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

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. In addition to disaster funding arrangements, what other grant programs has the Albanese Labor government reviewed since coming into office? Why has it been necessary to do so?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hasluck for her question. She understands, as do most of us in this place, that to serve here is a privilege and responsibility that is entrusted to us by the Australian people. It is why, frankly, it is so incredibly disappointing that we have heard revelations—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Deakin in warned.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that the former New South Wales minister made decisions on bushfire recovery grants that meant that money was directed away from Labor electorates, using Commonwealth funds—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume her seat.

The member for Riverina, I'm trying to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business. I give the call to the manager.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have heard two successive ministers speaking about decisions of the New South Wales government. This is not the parliament of New South Wales. This is not within their responsibility. It's not a proper area for question time.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just want to deal with this matter. The question was about reasons for it being necessary, and it is a reasonable response for the minister to cover other levels of government in her answer. I will listen to her carefully, and if she strays from that, I will bring her into order. I give the call to the minister.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. We heard that the New South Wales Nationals directed money away from Labor electorates, and that the minister's office changed the guidelines deliberately to do so and in fact made decisions that had significant conflicts of interest. Let's be clear—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Riverina will cease interjecting.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

we know that bushfires do not care about what electorate you come from. We also know that the National Party has form when it comes to this issue. The National Party has significant form when it comes to this issue.

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I be clear: if you want to look at how the National Party has form when it comes to this issue, there's program after program, rort after rort after rort. We know that when it came to the Building Better Regions Fund, the grants favoured the National Party electorates; they were not awarded on the basis of merit—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals will cease interjecting immediately.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but on the basis of rules that were not made clear to all applicants. This included, I'm sure members of the Liberal Party will be pleased to know, funnelling into National Party electorates, against recommendations from the department, $100 million that would have gone to Liberal Party seats. A lottery would have in fact been fairer.

We saw it with the Community Development Grants Program initially set up in 2013 to fund election commitments, as often happens. What we then saw was Pauline Hanson suddenly popping up with novelty cheques in Rockhampton and a state One Nation candidate in WA doing the same. We saw that. It was $3.2 billion of commitments, 1,400-plus commitments across the country, with no application rounds, no transparency, no assessment of grants.

We saw it with the Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream Program as well, when $150 million and 41 different projects were announced during the election, and only 21 actually went to female change rooms, including to one club that didn't actually have any women's teams playing. We saw it with the Regional Growth Fund. We saw it with the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program and the colour coded spreadsheets. We saw it with the Drought Communities Program. Time and time again, the National Party has used funds for its own political purposes.

We are cleaning up the mess left by the National Party, but it shows why they should never be in charge of these portfolios ever again. (Time expired)

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Riverina is warned.