Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 9:25:36 to 9:28:51
The department explains the decision to move grant assessments from a multi-party parliamentary panel to internal departmental staff to improve efficiency. Additionally, the minimum grant amount was reduced to $250,000 to increase eligibility, and an update is provided on the completion status of Round 1 projects.
Topics: Grants administration, Integrity
Speakers: Hon James McGrath, Lisa Rauter, Unknown Speaker, Jessica Hall, Speaker 36, Senator Glenn Sterle
now uh the government refused to comply with an order production documents that I actually lodged seeking clarity on the decision-making processes of the multi-party parl parliamentary panel which assessed the last round of grants in her response to the IBT the minister um the and I quote the Albanese government is committed to transparency in the delivering programs. Uh I'm not sure that's entirely truthful. Um the minister went on to say that the open and competitive assessment pro assessment process was aided by the recommendations of the multi-party parliamentary panel. So my question is has a decision been made yet about whether next funding round will be assessed by a multi-party parliamentary panel um in May the evidence was that you didn't think that process would be used again.
That's correct, Senator. So, the assessments will be done by departmental staff.
has it why can I ask why was the shift from the parliamentary panel to departmental staff?
>> Uh, look, it's a decision of government as to how the program is administered. Um, we also have an exemption for those for throwing growing regions and thriving suburbs and the business grants hub which means all of the administration now happens within the department. Um and it made sense for those assessments uh to be made inside the department as well. Uh and we found that that perhaps would be more efficient and timely.
>> Was was there a um a formal evaluation or a feedback process in relation to the the process that the multi- multi-arty parliamentary panel uh went through?
>> Not that I'm aware of, but I wasn't responsible for the program at the time that we used a multi-party panel.
>> If you just take that aspect on on notice, that's possible, please. Thank uh the forecast funding opportunity states that the minimum grant amount has been reduced from 500,000 to $250,000. >> Um what was the basis for that change to the eligib eligibility to those
requirements? It was just to enable more projects to be eligible under the
>> Of the 70 projects approved under round one in December 2024, >> y >> how many as at um so now but um have started um have been delayed have reached practical completion.
Senator, I believe a lot of that information is in the Cadell table that was actually um uh tabled earlier today.
>> Okay. I can say it's at 31 August. Three projects were completed.
>> Three projects. >> Y that's been tabled earlier. I will look at um Senator Cadell's um paperwork. Can I move on? Thank you for that by the way. I appreciate that.
>> Just let you know we got two more minutes before the break.