Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, , 6:10:10 to 6:16:21
Senator Hanson questions the significant increase in multiculturalism grants, which officials attribute to election commitments and funding for groups targeted by antisemitism.
Topics: Grants administration, Antisemitism, Social cohesion
Speakers: Senator Pauline Hanson, Hon Murray Watt, Sneha Chatterjee, Unknown Speaker, Stephanie Foster, Clare Sharp
Thank you very much. Can you confirm the total value of grants in the multiculturalism category in the 2022-23 financial year?
We'll just get the um right officer up to the table, Senator.
Senator Snaer Chattery, First Assistant Secretary, Office for Multicultural Affairs. I'll just find that information for you, Senator. 2324 financial yeah?
No, 22-23. 2022-23.
Senator, I'll just have to check that information with my team. I can come back to you on that.
Okay. If you would. And if you can come back to me in this session. So if there's someone you need to get that advice from now, you can. Thank you. What is the value of multiculturalism grants issued last financial year, 25-26?
Senator, I will get the overall figure for you by financial year.
Well, I have it at as more than 225 million in multiculturalism grants in 2526. Would that be about right?
That is likely. Right, Senator.
That's right.
Yes.
Well, then I'll ask you then. In 2223, I have it at less than six million in multiculturalism grants. Would that be about right?
Senator in 25-26, that number 325 million. Did increase because it includes approximately 171 million in election commitments. It also includes a number of large grants to organisations that were victims of anti-Semitic attacks. Including Adas Israel Synagogue, which was 30 million?
I'm I'm finding hard to understand. Are you telling me? Just did you say 171 million was in election promises by the Labor Party?
Yes, Senator.
What sort of promises?
There were a range of commitments, Senator.
Just give me just give me a bit of an idea. Some examples of the types of 171 million dollars in grants and election commitments from the Labor Party. So just tell me what sort of grants, what are the promises were? What were the commitments from the Labor Party that the taxpayers funded?
Chatterjee's looking for some of that information, Senator Hanson. I'm sure you'd be aware that in the run-up to elections, governments and oppositions and other parties make election commitments. But Ms. Chatterjee or some of the other officials might have examples of the types of commitments that were made.
That's right. And that's what I'm asking.
Thanks, Senator. Yes. So the the grants are going to a mix of infrastructure upgrades, local events, amenities, if you like, for particular communities, and as well as some that are targeting bringing groups to get different different community groups together as well.
You had the increase has gone from in 2223, which the Labor Party stood in 2022, so therefore there would have been election committee commitments then of the tune of six million dollars or just under. In the last one.
I'm not sure that figure has been confirmed.
From 2025. I can't uh the young lady pretty much pretty much agreed with that figure.
I'm saying I don't think we've I don't think it's been confirmed. This is it six million dollars that you quoted for 22-23.
Yeah. That's right.
I'm not sure I heard that figure.
I have less than six million dollars in multicultural multiculturalism grants between 22 and 23. Now that would have been your election commitments. Hang on. Would it be useful? Now we're looking at an increase from six million dollars over a period of three years, which is now at $325 million.
Would it be useful to have that six million dollar figure confirmed? Because I don't think we've had that confirmed yet. Um Ms. Chatterjee made the point that included in that higher figure are some of the grants that were provided, quite significant grants that were provided to uh rightly to Jewish groups within the community to tackle anti-Semitism and no doubt other communities as well. Um but it may be that the officials can give us a figure. It's about so five point nine million in the year 22-23.
And what I'm just trying to establish, Senator, is that um multicultural projects absent or separate from election commitments or not? We're just trying to get that clarity for you now.
Right.
We're just trying to we're just trying to clarify year by year what the amounts were.