Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I again ask the minister if he can indicate when the department of finance were involved in the costings work associated with this announcement. When were they first aware of the announcement and the costings associated with it? Can he also explain why it is the case that the costings that are currently provided do not provide detail as to when the money will be spent? Could the minister indicate whether he agrees with the Treasurer that there can be no information about how $10 billion worth of taxpayers’ money will be spent until the states sign up? Can the minister explain how Australians are to be satisfied with the scant details of this announcement, including the detail of how the $10 billion will be spent, when most of the Prime Minister’s existing $2 billion Australian Water Fund remains unspent?