Media Release – Senator Barnaby Joyce, 27 July 2010:
In possibly what might be the dying days of a dilapidated and dodgy government, the Auditor General has slammed the process the Labor Party used to allocate taxpayer funds into what apparently has become a cash kick along for Labor mates in trouble.
The Auditor General’s performance audit on the “establishment, implementation and administration of the strategic projects component of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program” found that due process on occasion was abandoned when it came to Labor mates in Labor seats. In many instances the assessment criterion was abandoned in applications, in many cases documentation for assessment was not apparent and for the project in general the Government has not followed its own Cabinet authorised guidelines.
In summary it is like this for the Labor party. When in trouble, cheat.
The approval rate for projects located in a Labor held seat was 42.1%, compared to 18.4% for projects located in Coalition held seats. The awarding of funding disproportionably favoured ALP seats. Even worse was the fact that the Government discriminated further against rural Australians by only approving 12.1% in Labor seats with Coalition held seats on a mere 5.3% approval. 71% (143) of the 202 projects short listed for risk assessment by the department, based on the short listing criteria agreed by cabinet on the 19th March 2009, were ineligible or non compliant in terms of the published program guidelines.
The Coalition will get a fair deal for rural and regional Australia where so much of our national wealth is produced.
It seems that the Labor Party is using the same process in delivering funds as they used in removing a duly elected Prime Minister of the Australian people. It is a mates’ job at mates’ rates. Bad luck if you are not a mate.
This is the second damming indictment by the Auditor General on Mr Albanese, the Minister for Infrastructure in the past week. However what else should the Australian people expect from this dodgy crowd?
More Information – Jenny Swan 0746 251500
Barnaby Is Right 
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