Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Hansard source

The existing evaluation principles for the funds provide an appropriate framework for expenditure. They require projects to address national infrastructure priorities, demonstrate high benefits and effective use of resources, efficiently address infrastructure needs and demonstrate that they achieved established standards in the implementation of management. The principles enable environmental considerations to be assessed as appropriate, such as evaluating benefits and the costs of the projects. The bill provides for appropriate parliamentary scrutiny of the evaluation criteria for each fund, which will be tabled in parliament as disallowable legislative instruments. Therefore, on balance, we will not be supporting the Greens amendments.