Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Given the minister now believes there are some really good community projects generated by the Regional Partnerships program, Minister, what is the current status of the Golden City Support Services in the Macedon Ranges, which applied for a $564,000 grant to help construct a carer respite house for families? Is the minister aware that the only respite bed in the region was closed because they believed that the Macedon Ranges respite service was going ahead?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand that this particular application was not approved by the previous government and that it was under assessment at the time of the government change. Therefore, because the Regional Partnerships program has been closed, there are two categories. The first is those projects that have been fully contracted and will be honoured by the government. There are 420 of those. The second category is the not-for-profit applications that were approved and not contracted. They have until 31 July to be put forward. There are 86 of those projects, and 55 of them are in seats held by the coalition.

The government believed that a common-sense approach was to ensure that they were not disadvantaged by the maladministration that occurred under the previous government where, under Regional Partnerships, in a 51-minute spending spree before the 2004 election just before they went into caretaker mode, 16 projects were approved for some $3.3 million.

Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I asked the minister a specific question and I do expect an answer that I can give to my constituents.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is responding to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McEwen has asked about a specific Regional Partnerships grant. One of the problems with Regional Partnerships was that it was so broad that everything fitted in under its umbrella. Had it been contracted then it certainly would have been honoured.

But we know the member for McEwen, when it comes to the use of public funds, has had other interesting proposals. This is the member who wanted to put a shadecloth over the Great Barrier Reef as her solution to protecting it from climate change. That is what the member’s attitude was towards use of public funds. The government were in denial for years. Then they wanted to put a shadecloth over the Great Barrier Reef. Another member wanted to put a great big shadecloth in space, so I guess that is not that extreme from the member for McEwen.

This government makes no apologies—

Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dr Jensen interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Tangney will excuse himself from the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a).

The member for Tangney then left the chamber.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

for the fact that we regard public funds to be precious and will make sure that they are spent wisely.