Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to make a personal explanation.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Various media reports have stated that I approved grants in my electorate of Kingsford Smith without notifying the finance minister. The finance minister today has released advice confirming that her department has examined all instances identified in the ANAO report and that there do not appear to be any issues.

The grant in question was allocated to the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority for a range of works, including a water quality monitoring network with stations in the electorates of Grayndler, Barton and Cook, across the Botany Bay catchment—some 1,165 square kilometres. Subsequently, the authority provided grants to a number of Sydney councils but not to Botany or Randwick councils, which serve my electorate.