Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1)   The following funding and support has been provided to the Australian Rainforest Foundation (ARF) since 2008-09:

(a)   Under the Grants to Voluntary Environment, Sustainability and Heritage Organisations Program (GVESHO), formerly Grants to Voluntary Environment and Heritage Organisations (GVEHO), the ARF was provided $1,500 in each of 2008-09 and 2009-10.

(b)   Under the Community Action Grants program in 2010-11, ARF was awarded $22,000 for project work to be carried out on land at Mission Beach, Queensland. The project involved identifying and spraying noxious weeds and re-vegetating and managing the land through the planting of trees.

(2)   In relation to all funding provided:

( a )    The GVESHO program helps eligible community based organisations to value, conserve and protect Australia's natural environment and historic heritage and to promote sustainability by assisting with their administrative costs. The GVESHO grant amount must be clearly identified as a separate line item in the organisation's financial statement as income from the "Australian Government's GVEHO/GVESHO program".

(b).   The ARF has not met its obligation to acquit its 2008-09 and 2009-10 GVESHO grants as per the contractual agreement and therefore the 2010-11 grant of $1,500 has been withheld.

The Community Action Grant project at Mission Beach is still in progress and is due to be completed by 30 June 2012. The final report is due 30 August 2012.