John Hewson: Voters should be enraged about federal grant allocations

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I am enormously frustrated. How is it that Federal LNP government spending excesses and abuses are not front page, lead TV, stories, every day, until there is a genuine response, until somebody is actually held accountable, until heads roll? Obscene amounts of money have been allocated by the Morrison Government for perceived political advantage, not on merit, not transparently, but definitely to key electorates that they wish to retain or win, or to the benefit of important interest groups or mates on whose support they rely, or that they wish to attract. While announced as significant Government policy initiatives, notionally for worthwhile purposes, the programs end up operating as ‘slush funds’ to be spent for political advantage, and often become a ‘gravy train’ for those who implement the schemes. The money is mostly allocated in ‘secret’, without transparent processes or tenders, often ignoring departmental and independent assessments and advice, sometimes just relying on a ‘colour coding’ of marginal seats. Programs for Building Better Regions; Bushfire and Flood Support and Recovery; Community Development; Female Facilities and Water Safety; the Great Barrier Reef; Local Roads and Community Infrastructure; Regional Growth; Safer Communities; Sports; Commuter Car Parks; and the like. With the cumulative significance of such spending abuse running into billions in just the last few years, why aren’t voters so enraged about this waste and political largesse to protest widely, to demand action, even to march in the streets? How is this not seen as theft of public monies? Why would it be unreasonable to seek to have the LNP organisation pay back spending that can’t be defended objectively? Unfortunately, it seems much of the explanation lies in the agendas of the MSM and sycophantic journalists, that seem intent on “protecting” the Morrison Government, often not even reporting the obscenities and largesse. Voters are simply not being informed. Morrison and his Ministers act as if they are beyond reproach. While clearly none of this would pass the ‘Pub Test’, in large measure the ‘drinkers’ are being kept in the dark. It is an important question then as to how these media outlets can be allowed to call themselves ‘News Services’, when they deliberately report only the news that is consistent with their prejudices and agendas? Either there are rules for this, that are enforced, or its time to lift the veil, stop the pretence, and see them as mere ‘entertainers’. In other parts of business there are tight rules and significant penalties for ‘false and misleading’ conduct. Even though many of these spending excesses have been revealed by the independent Auditor General, the reports have not been given the prominence they deserve, and the Government has even been allowed to get away with cutting the AG’s funding in the Budget. Similarly, much of the teeth seems to have been lost in the Senate Estimates processes, as Ministers and their bureaucrats seem increasingly able to duck responsibility, and obfuscate in their responses to questioning. It is instructive that in the Sports Rorts Scandal the responsible Minister, Bridget McKenzie, who had no authority to make these blatantly political allocations (often against departmental advice) was not fired for this clear breach of ministerial responsibility. Now, having spent some time in the backbench ‘cooler’, she has been reinstated as a Cabinet Minister, certainly not on merit, but as a reward for facilitating Barnaby’s resurrection, still protesting her ‘innocence’ in the Sports Rorts matter. I also fear that many voters have been ‘dudded’ into accepting that this is just ‘normal politics’. Recall Gladys Berejiklian’s recent defence of ‘pork barrelling’ in a NSW Council Grants Program, arguing that such spending is “not illegal” and “Governments are there to prioritise. Whether we like it or not, we let governments prioritise, make decisions, put in policies”. Gladys claimed she was being upfront and honest about the political process, and banning the authority for governments to do this would mean banning all election commitments. Nonsense. None of these comments should be allowed to distract from the fundamental imperatives for transparency and accountability. The case for an independent, well-funded, National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission is overwhelming, but Morrison is even ducking that too. John Hewson is a professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, and a former Liberal opposition leader.

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OPINION

July 1 2021 – 7:00PM

I am enormously frustrated. How is it that Federal LNP government spending excesses and abuses are not front page, lead TV, stories, every day, until there is a genuine response, until somebody is actually held accountable, until heads roll?

Obscene amounts of money have been allocated by the Morrison Government for perceived political advantage, not on merit, not transparently, but definitely to key electorates that they wish to retain or win, or to the benefit of important interest groups or mates on whose support they rely, or that they wish to attract.

While announced as significant Government policy initiatives, notionally for worthwhile purposes, the programs end up operating as ‘slush funds’ to be spent for political advantage, and often become a ‘gravy train’ for those who implement the schemes. The money is mostly allocated in ‘secret’, without transparent processes or tenders, often ignoring departmental and independent assessments and advice, sometimes just relying on a ‘colour coding’ of marginal seats.

Programs for Building Better Regions; Bushfire and Flood Support and Recovery; Community Development; Female Facilities and Water Safety; the Great Barrier Reef; Local Roads and Community Infrastructure; Regional Growth; Safer Communities; Sports; Commuter Car Parks; and the like.

With the cumulative significance of such spending abuse running into billions in just the last few years, why aren’t voters so enraged about this waste and political largesse to protest widely, to demand action, even to march in the streets?

How is this not seen as theft of public monies? Why would it be unreasonable to seek to have the LNP organisation pay back spending that can’t be defended objectively?

Unfortunately, it seems much of the explanation lies in the agendas of the MSM and sycophantic journalists, that seem intent on “protecting” the Morrison Government, often not even reporting the obscenities and largesse. Voters are simply not being informed.

Morrison and his Ministers act as if they are beyond reproach. While clearly none of this would pass the ‘Pub Test’, in large measure the ‘drinkers’ are being kept in the dark. It is an important question then as to how these media outlets can be allowed to call themselves ‘News Services’, when they deliberately report only the news that is consistent with their prejudices and agendas?

Either there are rules for this, that are enforced, or its time to lift the veil, stop the pretence, and see them as mere ‘entertainers’. In other parts of business there are tight rules and significant penalties for ‘false and misleading’ conduct.

Even though many of these spending excesses have been revealed by the independent Auditor General, the reports have not been given the prominence they deserve, and the Government has even been allowed to get away with cutting the AG’s funding in the Budget.

Similarly, much of the teeth seems to have been lost in the Senate Estimates processes, as Ministers and their bureaucrats seem increasingly able to duck responsibility, and obfuscate in their responses to questioning.

It is instructive that in the Sports Rorts Scandal the responsible Minister, Bridget McKenzie, who had no authority to make these blatantly political allocations (often against departmental advice) was not fired for this clear breach of ministerial responsibility.

Now, having spent some time in the backbench ‘cooler’, she has been reinstated as a Cabinet Minister, certainly not on merit, but as a reward for facilitating Barnaby’s resurrection, still protesting her ‘innocence’ in the Sports Rorts matter.

I also fear that many voters have been ‘dudded’ into accepting that this is just ‘normal politics’.

Recall Gladys Berejiklian’s recent defence of ‘pork barrelling’ in a NSW Council Grants Program, arguing that such spending is “not illegal” and “Governments are there to prioritise. Whether we like it or not, we let governments prioritise, make decisions, put in policies”.

Gladys claimed she was being upfront and honest about the political process, and banning the authority for governments to do this would mean banning all election commitments.

Nonsense. None of these comments should be allowed to distract from the fundamental imperatives for transparency and accountability.

The case for an independent, well-funded, National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission is overwhelming, but Morrison is even ducking that too.

John Hewson is a professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, and a former Liberal opposition leader.