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

My question is to Senator McKenzie, the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Last Saturday's Cairns Post quoted the member for Leichhardt's office as saying:

The department was solely responsible for assessing, recommending and ultimately awarding grants under the RJIP program.

Can the minister confirm that this statement is not true?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The RJIP program is what I understand the senator is asking about. I do apologise I haven't got those details to hand, and I haven't seen the article that you're quoting from. I'm very happy to come back on notice and give you the details you're seeking.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a supplementary question?

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

The electorate of Leichhardt was awarded $16.2 million in the tropical North Queensland round of the RJIP program, but Kennedy was awarded only $1.9 million. How many applications in Kennedy were recommended by the department but overturned by the ministerial panel? And how many applications in Leichhardt were approved by the ministerial panel against advice from the department?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator. As to the details of applications received, recommended and approved, I can get those details for you on notice. The Australian government, in response to the ANAO report, notes the findings of the ANAO's performance audit report on the award of funding under this program. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development has accepted the recommendations of the report, having already implemented improved practices that address these recommendations, based on the findings of an assurance review proactively conducted by the department in July 2018.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a final supplementary question?

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

One of the programs referred to in that audit includes a grant in Leichhardt for $2.4 million to a company part owned by the wife of the member for Leichhardt's former campaign manager, who was also the chair of the tropical North Queensland RJIP planning committee. The company has since decided not to proceed. Why has the ministerial panel not reallocated the funds to a different tropical North Queensland application?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator, for your question. I will take the details on notice and get back to you. The Regional Jobs and Investment Packages help diversify regional economies, they stimulate economic growth and they deliver sustainable employment in regional communities right across the country. It's a program that has made a great deal of difference in regional communities to ensure that we're backing them. We're backing their economic stimulation through that program.

The ANAO report acknowledges that, for an investment of $220.5 million in grant funding, the program has leveraged an estimated additional $467.8 million in project costs to support projects to drive economic growth in regional Australia. So it's been very, very useful in leveraging local dollars and nous and providing jobs across regional communities.