Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Senator Wong. I ask if the minister can assure the Senate that it is a fact that the government has, without any notice, listed on its website details of the $25 million for ‘contestable’ grants under the Caring for our Country initiative. Is it a fact that this $25 million is meant to compensate for the more than $120 million that was ripped off natural resource management bodies by the Labor Party’s axing of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality? I also ask the minister: is it true that agencies like the CSIRO, state governments and local councils can now apply for these funds, which were previously solely set aside for local natural resource management groups?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to 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.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. This minister seems quite incapable of answering any question, so I repeat: firstly, is the $25 million announced just last week to compensate for the $120 million that was cut from the previous programs of the coalition? Secondly, is it also true that the government has allowed only one month for applicants to apply for these contestable grants? Thirdly, now that the minister has had a couple of weeks to look at this, could she tell us exactly how many jobs have been lost in rural and regional Australia by the Labor government’s cutback of funding to natural resource management groups?

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

Isn’t it interesting that the opposition are pressing on this issue when they, when in government, did not intend to fund the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality beyond the end of June? They have no answer to that. They have no answer to the fact that, under their watch, that plan was not to be refunded beyond the end of June. As I have said, Minister Garrett and Minister Burke announced on 21 June a public call for open grants, totalling $25 million. That was announced on Saturday, 21 June. As I have indicated, non-government organisations will be able to bid for funding through this process. As I said, the assessment of these projects will obviously reflect the six national priorities under Caring for our Country, which Ministers Garrett and Burke have announced: a national reserve system, biodiversity and natural icons, coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats, sustainable farm practices, natural resource management in remote and Northern Australia and community skills. (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.