Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for that question. I can 100 per cent reassure Senator Hanson and the Senate that this is not a slush fund for the National Party. This is a very important capital fund that will help generate a reliable, secure, sustainable funding stream which will see an additional $100 million every year go into projects to improve drought resilience and preparedness in rural and regional communities impacted by the drought.

I have previously put on the record the very stringent governance measures that are in place to protect the integrity of the decision-making process. The governance framework for funding decisions under the Future Drought Fund is robust and transparent. In particular, it involves requirements for extensive public consultation in developing the overarching Drought Resilience Funding Plan and consideration of independent expert advice before allocating funds. Indeed, the Future Drought Fund programs will have published guidelines, where appropriate, to ensure all applicants are treated equitably and selected based on merit. Grant programs would be developed in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines 2017. Future Drought Fund procurements will be accountable and transparent in accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules 2018. There is an extensive governance framework in place that will help ensure all of the decisions that are made to allocate funding are based on merit.