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

I do, most grievously, on at least four occasions by the Prime Minister, including on 2GB and 3AW and in a press conference on 20 January, and at the National Press Club on 29 January, and at least once by the Deputy Prime Minister at a doorstop in Sunshine Beach, Queensland, on 14 February. Both claimed that when I was regional development minister I funded ineligible projects. I was also misrepresented during question time by the Treasurer on 6 February and today in question time by the Prime Minister in their statements reflecting decisions made when I was regional development minister regarding the administration of the Regional Development Australia fund, rounds 3 and 4.

The facts are these. The ANAO report confirmed that none of the projects funded by me as minister were ineligible for funding. The ANAO report also confirmed that two-thirds of the projects funded across rounds 3 and 4 were in seats not held by the Australian Labor Party. Finally, the ANAO report and the Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit inquiry into that report found that so concerned was the incoming government about my project funding decisions that they signed contracts, ratified those decisions and funded every single project themselves, including those where funding agreements were not yet in place.

The Prime Minister and his deputy and the Treasurer should stop being loose with the truth and take responsibility for their own ministerial decisions.

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