Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Reynolds. Documents released under freedom of information have revealed that Minister Dutton announced two grants, worth $194,000, for two councils during the Braddon by-election. The grants were announced a month before the rules for the grants opened and went against the explicit advice of his own community safety experts, who warned they 'do not reflect the order of merit' and 'you may be criticised either in the media, or by the Australian National Audit Office'. Why did the minister ignore the advice of community safety experts and fund the grants?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. In issues such as this, the facts really matter. Let me share some of the facts with those opposite. This government is absolutely committed to making Australian communities safe places to live and to work. The Safer Communities Fund, provided to address crime and antisocial behaviour, helps communities to reduce violence and improve safety in local communities. Since 2016 the government has committed $180 million to this program. Let me put a few facts on the record in relation to round 3 of the Safer Communities Fund. A total of 465 applications, totalling over $58 million, were received, for funding for approximately $17 million. Of these 465 applications, the Department of Home Affairs recommended that 70 be approved. Each of these applications that the department recommended received funding. The department also reckoned that Minister Dutton could select 15 from a reserve list of 210. All 210 of those applications had been assessed as suitable for funding. In fact, to enable these to be funded, the minister himself reduced a number of grants to enable funding to a number in Labor seats. For example, Nick Champion, the member for Spence, funded six CCTVs under these savings. Catherine King, the member for Ballarat, also funded four fixed CCTVs. And the list goes on and on. In fact, the spending between Labor and coalition seats is almost identical.

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

Senator Urquhart, a supplementary question?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has also been revealed that Minister Dutton awarded the National Retail Association a grant of almost $1 million after they had donated to his campaign. Why did the minister make the nearly $1 million grant to his campaign donor?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, facts matter, and they matter in this case a great deal. This really desperate attempt to try to smear the Minister for Home Affairs is sad and is clearly not supported by the evidence. Let me share why with you. The National Retail Association donated to both sides of this chamber. The member for Griffith received a $2,000 donation from the National Retail Association in 2018 and 2019.

The other point to make is that because Labor are so obsessed with politics and throwing mud they actually failed to take into account a much more significant public event, a very sad and frightening event that occurred in November 2018. Of course, that was the Bourke Street terror attack of 9 November. On 9 November, one male attacker set his car on fire, stabbed three people and attacked police in Melbourne. Of those three stabbing victims, one tragically died at the scene. That person was Sisto Malaspina. (Time expired)

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

Senator Urquhart, a final supplementary question?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Dutton was warned not to misuse taxpayer dollars. He gave his Liberal donor mates a grant of almost $1 million. His rolled-gold rorting now includes an eye-watering $36,000 taxpayer-funded RAAF flight to Tasmania to announce his dodgy grants. Why does the Morrison government treat taxpayer money like it's Liberal Party money?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I started to explain in relation to this, the facts matter, and the convenient fact is that Labor have left out why that grant was made. It was, again, in response to that terrible terrorist attack in Melbourne, because the National Retail Association applied for funding under the protecting crowded places project, which assists retailers to deter, delay and respond to a terrorist attack. That is a convenient fact that you have left out, noting the significant events affecting the public and retailers over the month of November 2018. His office asked the Department of Home Affairs to consider this proposal and have the Department of Finance cost it. It was assessed and recommended to be funded, as it represented value for money and a proper use of Commonwealth resources, consistent with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. It was used, and again you conveniently—

Senator Keneally interjecting—

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

Order, Senator Keneally!

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

don't recall that this was used for a most important response to a terrorist attack.