Laurie Ferguson (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to make a personal explanation.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Laurie Ferguson (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member may proceed.

Laurie Ferguson (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been reported in the media that as the then parliamentary secretary for immigration and citizenship I approved 12 grants for my then electorate of Reid worth $2.2 million without alerting the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. I would note that as parliamentary secretary I was neither the decision maker with regard to grants nor the person responsible for approving grants. The minister, Senator Evans, was the decision maker and approved all grants. Under the provisions of the Commonwealth Grant Guidelines, Senator Evans as a member of the Senate was not required to report on grants he was approving. As I was not the decision maker for the Settlement Grants Program, I was not required to inform the minister for finance. It is important to acknowledge that grants approved under the Settlement Grants Program followed recommendations made by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.