Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to this debate as a senator who lives in regional Queensland, is very proud to be a member of the Labor Party and is very proud to be contributing to this debate today. I rise to take note of Senator Gallagher's question to Senator Birmingham in regard to the quality of government spending. Before I continue, can I associate myself entirely with the remarks of Senator McAllister and thank the women in this place, in parliament, for their leadership. Every woman should feel safe at work, even if their workplace is a place of power and powerful people. I thank Senator McAllister for her contribution today.

Senator Gallagher's question around quality spending raised many concerns, that people in regional Queensland have shared with me, about the deliberate spending of this government to prop up their own political interests rather than the national interest. Her question raised important issues about some of the scandals that we have seen from this government. We know that the sports rorts scandal was not just a one-off but is reflective of a pattern of rorting behaviour. We know that back in April 2018 the then Turnbull government awarded a $444 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. This was the single largest environmental grant in Australia's history, and it was awarded to a small charity with only six full-time staff. Instead of going through a competitive tender process to decide how this money could be spent it is clear that it was a captain's pick, a decision made for political purposes instead of the national interest.

The Auditor-General found that the department had failed to properly follow government rules around making the grant. There were no clear specific or targeted objectives for the funding, just broad and general guidelines. It was a $444 million grant—and there are no guidelines on how this government requires that money to be spent. I know because I've sat in Senate estimates with the environment department and have asked them questions about how this money is being spent.

Unfortunately, we can't call members of the foundation to Senate estimates to ask them how this money is being spent and if it is helping the Great Barrier Reef and the people in regional Queensland who rely on jobs supported by the Great Barrier Reef. We don't know, because the government appointed this money to the foundation outside the rules of government spending. The government argued that the foundation would leverage the funds to attract further investment in reef restoration from the private sector, but they have failed on that target. All of the justification, all the reasons, for making this grant don't stack up.

It's the same when it comes to the Urban Congestion Fund. Analysis by Labor shows that 83 per cent of the $3 billion program went to government or marginal Labor seats so they could win them, so they could further their political interests. The funds were not allocated through a competitive grants process. Twenty-eight per cent of the national funding went to four marginal Liberal seats. The Audit Office has commenced an audit into the administration of the commuter car parks project within the Urban Congestion Fund. We look forward to receiving that report.

Whether it's sports rorts or the Great Barrier Reef fund or the Urban Congestion Fund, we know this government always dismisses these concerns. They have an inherent belief that they are entitled to spend these taxpayer funds however they choose, to give them to whoever they want, no matter the governance or merit or whether it's in the national interest or not. It's money for mates, jobs for mates and grants for votes. That is not quality government spending.