Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much. It's very simple: it goes to announcement arrangements. The decisions were made by the minister who was responsible and who, incidentally—this is a very popular and very successful program and, as a result of Senator McKenzie exercising, appropriately, her ministerial discretion, she increased the proportion of funding going to Labor-held electorates.

That is a very important point. In this constant smear that Labor is seeking to perpetuate here against a hardworking, distinguished, outstanding member of our team, this persistent smear that you are trying to spread here, you always hide the fact that the minister's discretion actually increased the proportion of funding going into Labor-held electorates, contrary to the decisions that were made at the Public Service level. Minister McKenzie ensured there was a fairer, more appropriate distribution of those funds in what is an outstanding and very successful project. No amount of smear and innuendo from the Labor Party will get anyone away from that.