4 years ago
MINISTER REFUSES TO EXPLAIN EXPORTS RORT
BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP
In response to my question in Question Time today, the Prime Minister and Minister for Industry failed to adequately explain why the first round of grants to SME Export Hubs were so heavily skewed to Government electorates.
Nowhere in Karen Andrews’ garbled response was there any effort to explain the massive difference between grants allocated to seats held by the major parties.
In Round 1, just weeks before the election was called, 97 per cent of funding went to Liberal and National Party electorates, with only 3 per cent going to Labor electorates.
Minister Andrews needs to better explain herself. If the “hubs service an entire region” as she stated in Question Time today, why does the Industry website identify specific “project activity locations” for each approved grant?
The Minister tried to justify the grant allocations by using Food South Australia as an example of a successful applicant in Round 1.
The Minister claimed the hub was servicing all of South Australia. While this may be true, according to the Industry website the funding was given for project activity in Urrbrae, Tanunda, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Pirie, SA – which are in the Coalition electorates of Boothby, Barker and Grey.
The politicisation of taxpayers’ money runs deep in this Government’s veins.
This is a rort and it stinks.
Not once did the Minister explain why all hubs, except for one, in Round 1 were located solely in Coalition electorates.
We’ve had sports rorts. Now we’ve got exports rorts.
How many small businesses were overlooked because the Morrison Government was solely focused on winning the election at all costs?
Small and medium businesses are crucial to the success of our nation, particularly as we emerge from the grasp of COVID-19. The government should be providing a strategic plan to grow businesses and regions, regardless of whether they sit in a particular electorate.
Nowhere in Karen Andrews’ garbled response was there any effort to explain the massive difference between grants allocated to seats held by the major parties.
In Round 1, just weeks before the election was called, 97 per cent of funding went to Liberal and National Party electorates, with only 3 per cent going to Labor electorates.
Minister Andrews needs to better explain herself. If the “hubs service an entire region” as she stated in Question Time today, why does the Industry website identify specific “project activity locations” for each approved grant?
The Minister tried to justify the grant allocations by using Food South Australia as an example of a successful applicant in Round 1.
The Minister claimed the hub was servicing all of South Australia. While this may be true, according to the Industry website the funding was given for project activity in Urrbrae, Tanunda, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Pirie, SA – which are in the Coalition electorates of Boothby, Barker and Grey.
The politicisation of taxpayers’ money runs deep in this Government’s veins.
This is a rort and it stinks.
Not once did the Minister explain why all hubs, except for one, in Round 1 were located solely in Coalition electorates.
We’ve had sports rorts. Now we’ve got exports rorts.
How many small businesses were overlooked because the Morrison Government was solely focused on winning the election at all costs?
Small and medium businesses are crucial to the success of our nation, particularly as we emerge from the grasp of COVID-19. The government should be providing a strategic plan to grow businesses and regions, regardless of whether they sit in a particular electorate.