Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

In terms of Caring for our Country arrangements, I can advise the Senate that, starting next month, Caring for our Country will refocus our natural resource investment in line with what was indicated earlier by Ministers Burke and Garrett and consistent with the approach that the government took prior to the election last year. It is the case that regional groups and others will continue to be supported and partnerships with the states and territories will be maintained. In its first five years, over $636 million will be provided as secure baseline funding for regional NRM organisations and additional funding of up to $75 million will be available to help overcome transitional problems.

I indicate to the Senate that this program largely maintains the previous government’s funding commitments over five years. What is interesting is the approach the opposition are taking—again attempting to make a political attack on this issue. What they fail to mention, of course, is that the opposition in government did not intend to fund the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality beyond June of this year. This program was scheduled, under the budget arrangements of the previous government, to end at this time—and there were no forward projections in the budget to show otherwise. So all projects under this program were coming to an end under the previous government’s budgeting approach.

The Commonwealth government is currently working closely with the states to ensure that the necessary state arrangements for funding to regions will be in place in July 2008. In 2008-09 regional investment activities will begin in July, providing further employment opportunities. Regions and others can seek funding for any staffing positions they need to help them to contribute to Caring for our Country priorities. A range of more targeted funding opportunities will be available, such as Community Coastcare, which opened on 19 May, and a further round of open grants for 2008-09 of up to $25 million, which was announced on 21 June. In addition, a range of critical transitional projects have been considered by ministers. Where projects were not successful under that process, these organisations may wish to apply under the open grants, which is a competitive process.