Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Round 1 of the $300 million Growing Regions Program fund was underspent by $93 million, despite receiving 311 suitable applications representing $1.4 billion in worthy projects. Why did the minister select just 40 of the 311 suitable applications, and will the minister carry over the unspent funds to round 2? If not, why not?

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

I thank the member for Mayo for her question. Can I assure the member that the 40 community infrastructure projects across regional Australia that were funded out of the Growing Regions Program—including projects like the Seymour Community Wellbeing Hub, in the member for Nicholls's seat; the Mission Beach town upgrade, a great project; the Kununurra runway extension; and the Swan Hill Reinvigorating Our Riverfront project—were all selected on merit. They were part of a transparent project process that was designed to enhance integrity and transparency of grants and to clean up the mess and rorts of those opposite.

As you know, the process involved a multiparty parliamentary panel of which the member for Indi was a member as part of the crossbench, so I'm very grateful for her work in doing that. But, of course, not all eligible projects were recommended for funding by my department. If you are suggesting that I should have funded 'not recommended' projects, then I'd suggest that that is not in the spirit of integrity or transparency.

I look forward to opening round 2 of the Growing Regions Program shortly. There will be some changes to the guidelines, following the very helpful feedback from the Audit Office and the multiparty panel. It is my intention that this round will include the unallocated funding from round 1, making even more money available for important community infrastructure projects across regional Australia.