07-June-2010
Portfolio Media Releases, The Economy, Funding
Mr Rudd’s Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner, has shown how much this Government has “lost the plot”, with nearly quarter-of-a-billion of taxpayer dollars being pumped into his electorate in a desperate bid to head off the threat of losing to the Greens.
“Mr Tanner must come out from hiding today and give a full and frank explanation as to why his electorate has received nearly twice as much as any other Victorian electorate,” Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction, Andrew Robb said.
It has been reported that a staggering $220 million in non-road and rail stimulus funding has been pumped into Mr Tanner's own electorate of Melbourne, with a further $15 million non-stimulus grants earmarked for the seat.
When asked to confirm and explain the numbers Mr Tanner's office reportedly said: "No thanks.”
Mr Robb said this is simply not good enough and that Mr Tanner must explain to Australian taxpayers why he has no qualms pork barrelling in his own electorate, particularly after taking the moral high-ground on this issue when in opposition.
"Lindsay Tanner, more than anyone, made his reputation screaming from the roof tops in opposition to rorting and pork barrelling; like Mr Rudd, he's an absolute hypocrite,” Mr Robb said.
Just last month in his ‘Razor’s Edge’ blog Mr Tanner wrote: “I am a bit of a romantic … I think elections are largely determined by how well they think the Government is governing, not on how many fistfuls of cash they pump on election eve.”
What a joke. As Finance Minister, Mr Tanner's primary responsibility is to ensure taxpayers' money is not wasted and that they get value-for-money from Government spending.
“Lindsay Tanner has monumentally failed on both counts, having presided over the disastrous $2.45 billion insulation debacle and $6-8 billion of waste associated with Julia Gillard’s botched school hall funding splurge,” Mr Robb said.
"This bloke gives finance ministers a bad name. Wasted and borrowed billions, all approved by him. And now we know Mr Tanner is cynically giving the nod for the funnelling of taxpayers' millions into his own electorate, in a bid to save his own political skin," he said.
Media Contact: Cameron Hill on 0408 239 521.