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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the answer the minister for urban infrastructure gave yesterday on the Commuter Car Park Fund. Yesterday the minister claimed decisions were based on departmental advice, yet the Auditor-General found not one of the 47 car parks were recommended by the department. If it wasn't the department and it wasn't the minister, who recommended these car parks in target seats, and is the Prime Minister's own role in this fund the reason he won't establish an anticorruption commission?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the member for Ballarat for her question. I remind the House of some of the key points made by the Auditor-General in his report:

The department has provided clear funding recommendations in respect to the 33 projects for which it had submitted written briefings to the Minister. Reflecting the results of the department's assessment of project eligibility and merit, on each occasion the department recommended that funding be provided.

The Auditor-General's report also makes it perfectly clear:

Under the Infrastructure Investment Program arrangements, the Australian Government may commit funding to an investment project at any time for any phase based on information it deems appropriate.

So the minister had the authority. The minister was acting within authority. What the Auditor-General also said was:

I do apologise, Mr Speaker. I have accidentally gone to the wrong Auditor-General's report. I have accidentally gone to report No. 9 of 2014-15, The design and conduct of the third and fourth funding rounds of the Regional Development Australia Fund. And who was the minister? It was the member for Ballarat.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister resume his seat. Members on my right will cease interjecting. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance: if the minister can't spend three minutes defending this decision, I think it says it all.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has the call, but there will be no more accidents.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, 'Lord, make me pure, but not just yet' is a well-known prayer of St Augustine. 'Lord, make me pure, but not until we go into opposition' is the prayer of the 'Ballarorter'.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. The minister will withdraw that phrase.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.