Australian Politics Forum - And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!

Bam

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And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Feb 12^th, 2020 at 3:07pm

"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." - George Orwell, Animal Farm

Coalition’s “miracle” election win claim under fire as more rorts surface with Regional Growth Fund (Excerpt quoted)
Quote:

The Coalition’s claimed “miracle” election win is looking decidedly hollow as more rorts surface in the media. Senator Bridget McKenzie took one for the team over the #sportsrorts and resigned her ministry. Jommy Tee uncovers yet another whopper — the Regional Growth Fund.

Question is: how systemic was the rorting and who besides the hapless McKenzie was involved? As this investigation shows, when it came to the eponymously-named Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grants, certainly a cabinet sub-committee. Possibly the whole cabinet.

The RGF was announced as part of the 2017-18 budget with grants of $10 million or more for major transformational projects to “create jobs in regions, including those undergoing structural adjustment”.

Unlike the other rorted grants programs, this one had a two-stage process. It involved a ministerial panel vetting the Stage 1 process and signing off on the applications that would proceed to the second and final stage of developing a full business case.

The guidelines of the program clearly stated:

Quote:

“decisions on which Initial Applications progress to a Full Business Case will be made by a Ministerial Panel in consultation with the Australian Government’s Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation Committee of Cabinet or Cabinet”.

Applications for the RGF opened in March 2018 and closed late April 2018 — conveniently timed for a cash splash just before voters cast their votes for the 2019 election.

A staggering $272 million of grants were awarded — with 89% of them (16 grants worth a total $248 million) awarded just ahead of the election. Of that $248 million, Coalition seats snagged $234 million.

Marginal seats got a strong allocation with $134 million corralled by the marginal seats of Dawson; Pearce; Casey; Braddon; Capricornia; Herbert; Cowper; Page and Gilmore.

In the rare instance where grants were awarded to Labor-held seats, the same publicity modus operandi used in the #sportsrorts playbook was followed. The announcement was made by the local LNP candidate or LNP Senator — though the electorate was spared the novelty cheques this time. Sitting Labor members didn’t get [a] look in.

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John Smith

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #1 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 3:47pm

We need a federal ICAC

once found guilty these dogs need a minimum 5 yr jail term
once released, they are never to work in govt, for any govt. contractor, or in any role where they lobby govt.

I'd also sell all their, and their spouses possessions, up to the value of the rort, and use the proceeds to pay back taxpayers

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Our esteemed leader:
I hope that bitch who was running their brothels for them gets raped with a cactus.

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Bam Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21905 Gender:	Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort! Reply #2 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:22pm So far, we're up to about a billion dollars of taxpayers' money, squandered in the last year of the previous term, simply to promote themselves or on blatant porkbarrelling. No wonder they do not want an anti-corruption commission.
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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #3 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:28pm

So here's a recap of what we know so far of the Coalition's corrupt abuse of power.

Coalition dished out $636m in grants in six months before 2019 election
Quote:

Analysis shows the extent of spending in six programs, five of which gave ministers discretion over where the money would go

The federal government awarded more than $630m worth of grants in the six months before last year’s election, and compelled recipients to invite politicians to their public announcements.

Analysis of grant data, audit reports and public announcements for six programs shows the government approved $636.7m in grants for sports, community safety and rural development between December 2018 and the May 2019 election.

Five of the programs – the Building Better Regions fund, Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream programs, Community Sport Infrastructure program, Safer Communities fund and Community Development grants – gave ministers the discretion to decide where the money would go.

The sixth, the Stronger Communities program, left funding decisions in the hands of a “program delegate”, who acted on advice from committees including the relevant local MP.

Guidelines for five of the six programs decreed that recipients “must notify us of events relating to your project and provide an opportunity for the minister or their representative to attend”.

That last bit is quite damning - grants conditional on promotion of the government shows the true purpose of the grants.

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cods Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 88048	Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort! Reply #4 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:48pm of course its not nice... shock horror I am sure no other govt since fed has ever done such a thing... btw bam what do you think about the MOVE TO ROLL ALBO?? .. goodness me hes only been there 5 minutes...
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Redmond Neck

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #5 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 5:14pm

cods wrote on Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:48pm:

of course its not nice... shock horror I am sure no other govt since fed has ever done such a thing...

btw bam what do you think about the MOVE TO ROLL ALBO??

..

goodness me hes only been there 5 minutes...

NO CODS NO OTHER GOVT HAS DONE ANYTHING LIKE THESE THREE RORTS

DO WE NEED A FEDERAL ICAC LIKE THE NSW ONE?

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BAN ALL THESE ABO SITES RECOGNITIONS.

ALL AUSTRALIA IS FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS!

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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #6 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 5:30pm

cods wrote on Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:48pm:

of course its not nice... shock horror I am sure no other govt since fed has ever done such a thing...

Your continued refusal to condemn the Coalition's rampant corruption has been noted. Why won't you condemn the Coalition's corruption and abuse of power, cods?

cods wrote on Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:48pm:

btw bam what do you think about the MOVE TO ROLL ALBO??

..

goodness me hes only been there 5 minutes...

Your attempt to deflect the discussion away from a topic you refuse to discuss has also been noted. Why do you always attempt to deflect topics that are damaging to the Coalition, cods?

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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #7 - Feb 12^th, 2020 at 5:36pm

Redmond Neck wrote on Feb 12^th, 2020 at 5:14pm:

cods wrote on Feb 12^th, 2020 at 4:48pm:

of course its not nice... shock horror I am sure no other govt since fed has ever done such a thing...

btw bam what do you think about the MOVE TO ROLL ALBO??

..

goodness me hes only been there 5 minutes...

NO CODS NO OTHER GOVT HAS DONE ANYTHING LIKE THESE THREE RORTS

DO WE NEED A FEDERAL ICAC LIKE THE NSW ONE?

It's more than three. It's six separate programs that the Coalition have abused.

And that's not even counting the numerous closed tenders going to their mates and cronies, the long list of former Ministers who have found work in the private sector in areas of their portfolios in flagrant abuse of parliamentary rules, including at least one who was doing so while still in Parliament, Ministers personally benefiting from insider trading, handing over nearly a billion dollars to Murdoch, and so much more corruption and abuse of power.

This Federal government is the most corrupt Federal government this country has ever had. Several current and former Ministers of this corrupt government belong in prison, and some will end up there after they are booted. Who will be first - Angus Taylor or Barnaby Joyce?

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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #8 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 8:35am

Here's pork barrel number seven: the "Environment Restoration Fund".

Environment grants awarded by invitation only
Quote:

A $100 million environmental grants program, created ahead of last year’s federal election, had no eligibility guidelines and was open only to 25 specified projects that had already been chosen and announced as campaign promises – most of which were in seats held or targeted by the Coalition.

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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #9 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 8:49am

Pork barrel number eight: Commuter Car Park Fund: Pork ‘n ‘Ride, another election-winning rort for the Coalition
Quote:

The pre-election budget announced 13 new CCPF projects totalling $149 million — and all, yes all, of those first-cab-off-the-rank projects went to seats held by the Liberal Party, including six in highly marginal NSW and Queensland electorates.

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John Smith Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 78311 Gender:	Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort! Reply #10 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 8:51am the conalition are treating the federal coffers like it's their own private bank account. It's time the GG stepped in.
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Bam

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #11 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 8:53am

Here's the ninth pork barrel:

Press Rorts: media grants target Coalition seats
Quote:

“The Regional Innovation Fund was set up in 2017/18 and is operated at arm’s length of the Australian Government by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA),” spokesperson, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts said.

AltMedia, City Hub’s publishing company, was one of 186 publishers nationally to apply, and was astounded when only 29 grants were awarded to just 25 companies.

As an independent voice that has operated for over 22 years under the same publisher and deals with news events in the inner Sydney region, the Hub was humble but thought that it had a chance of success.

Of the 25 successful recipients, 72 per cent were based in Senator Fifield’s own state of Victoria. Sixteen of the grants went to Liberal/National seats, five to ALP, 2 Greens and one independent.

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Bam Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21905 Gender:	Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort! Reply #12 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 3:38pm Whenever more corruption within the Libs is exposed, why do none of the pro-Lib posters ever denounce it?
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John Smith

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Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort!
Reply #13 - Feb 15^th, 2020 at 9:42pm

Quote:

When Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz took over the mic at this week's Senate inquiry into allegations of sports rorts, he asked the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) to confirm the Prime Minister's well-worn statement — that all grants receiving funding were eligible.

Scott Morrison has repeatedly asserted the rebuttal in press conferences — at the National Press Club and in Parliament.

"I seek to clarify, you did find that no ineligible project or application was funded?" was the question Senator Abetz asked audit office executive Brian Boyd.

He did not get the answer he expected.

Instead, Mr Boyd revealed that 43 per cent of the projects that received funding in the $100 million program were in fact considered "ineligible".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-15/sports-rorts-explainer-scott-morrison-bri...

so 43% of grants were deemed ineligible Cheesy

i hope labor doesn't let up on this. Morriscum must go.

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Our esteemed leader:
I hope that bitch who was running their brothels for them gets raped with a cactus.

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Bam Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21905 Gender:	Re: And ANOTHER Coalition funding rort! Reply #14 - Feb 16^th, 2020 at 8:33am John Smith wrote on Feb 15^th, 2020 at 9:42pm: so 43% of grants were deemed ineligible i hope labor doesn't let up on this. Morriscum must go. The government must go. They are the most corrupt Federal government this country has ever seen.
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