27-July-2010
Portfolio Media Releases, Funding, Education and Training
The Auditor General has revealed the $800 million Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program has been used by Labor as a pork barrelling vehicle to funnel money into its own seats.
The Auditor General’s report released today found the approval rate for projects located in Labor held seats was 42.1 per cent. The approval rate for projects located in Coalition held electorates was just 18.4 per cent – less than half the ALP rate (p24).
The Rudd – Gillard Government handed out a total of $550 million of the program funding without following its own assessment guidelines.
Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction Andrew Robb said the audit is a damning indictment of the Rudd-Gillard Government’s pork barrelling and waste.
“The Rudd – Gillard Government broke its own rules, funnelled money to Labor electorates and punished Australian families based on where they live,” Mr Robb said.
“The Auditor General’s report makes it clear: this was nothing more than a massive Labor pork barrelling exercise.
“Labor has failed to give Australian families a fair go, actively discriminating against people in certain areas.
“This was a purely political exercise designed to shore-up support in Labor held seats ahead of the election.
The audit found that:
- Eligibility and compliance checking processes were abandoned, with 71% of projects shortlisted for risk assessment by the department being ineligible, and/or non‐compliant in terms of the published Program Guidelines (p110);
- “The awarding of funding to projects also disproportionately favoured ALP-held seats when considered in terms of the extent to which the various applications indicated that construction work would be able to be undertaken in the desired economic stimulus timeframe” (p194);
- The ALP held 55 per cent of electorates, with 57 per cent of funding being awarded to projects located in an ALP held electorate; The Coalition parties held 43 per cent of electorates, with 37 per cent of funding being awarded to projects located in an electorate held by the Coalition (p46);
- Anthony Albanese removed two projects in the Liberal held seats of Grey (SA) and Curtin (WA) against departmental advice (p183);
- There was no documented assessment of each application; and
- The Rudd – Gillard Government didn’t even follow its own guidelines.
The findings raise some difficult questions for the Prime Minister:
- Why were Labor electorates shovelled so much money?
- Why did the government punish Australians in non-Labor seats?
- How did it happen that Labor projects were approved at twice the rate as those in Coalition seats?
“This is further evidence of Labor spending taxpayer’s money to further its own political needs, instead of meeting the needs of all Australians.
“We are offering a clear choice in this election: a Coalition Government that offers real action for Australia, or more of the same – more Labor waste and mismanagement of the type the audit found today and more Labor taxes to pay for it,” Mr Robb said.
Further information: Cameron Hill on 0408 239 521