Senator Leyonhjelm questions Great Barrier Reef funding

Record half billion dollars handed to Great Barrier Reef Foundation

[robertchaplin]

There must/has to be a budgetary process here, for example if not paid the funds would go back to government and lost to the department and then requiring/needing further or new approval the next/following year which may or may not happen. I have come across this problem in another area of government in the past as an advisor of a recipient of the arranged government funds who actually received the money prior to any commencement work or indeed planning as it turned out and just before June 30 which was then approaching.

[areyouforeal]

$450m and we as taxpayers don't have the right to know who's idea it was to give the money straight to a foundation to spend? He shouldn't be allowed to refuse this question. I also liked how when pressed to explain how giving them more money helps them raise more money he signaled for his lackey to jump in with some spin without substance to eat up some time. What did we learn about this project? Nothin.

[credenza]

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation had a staff of 6 at the time this outrageous handout was made.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg appear to have offered the money to foundation chair John Schubert at a meeting on April 9, according to its Managing Director, Anna Marsden. She told a Senate inquiry that the only other person in attendance was environment and energy department secretary Finn Pratt."
Finn Pratt is the Public Servant answering the questions. Thus Mr Pratt's evasion of the question as to whether the Dept of Environment initiated the idea.

[jimpikoulis]

I would like an Itemised list of what was spent

[Lexmaster]

Waste of money, not that the criminals running this country care.

[Krustyclown]

A group of 6 ppl getting funding of 500 million. This Is a big issue especially if its new..

[mattyb]

I live at the barrier Reef and I haven't seen or heard of any money spent or action towards helping the reef. You would think $444M would be quite noticeable, even without research.

[MRDPG]

David in my opinion helps to restore some trust in politicians !

[Krustyclown]

Of course you'd say its a good idea because you benefit.

[lostinspace]

The reef will look after its self, and people will spend the money on themselves, , , ,

[prospero]

Its a fair question answered reasonably. Gov as it should be

[streetlight]

I seriously don't know why we even bother with these type of questions as our
elected leaders can avoid giving answers thru double talk and are ultimately not
held accountable. So much for transparent Government.

[javery]

It’s so easy to spend money that’s not your own.

[keithfreitas]

Wow! What great doonboggle. Someone became rich from this. Sounds like liberals in the US. They say enter politcs poor come out rich.

[jarshcharty]

The lack of investigative rigour in this $444m federal budget allocation is a major concern. It's a swan dive at first glance perceptions on the surface issue of whether compliance with basic due process riding on the flimsiest grounds in fact to date there's really been nil justification given to validate why? let alone evidence to give the average taxpayer some comfort in due process other than taking solace in sound grabs purporting (unconvincingly) that there's nothing to see here, a last minute spur of the moment "captain's call" is one horribly inadequate explanation given by Captain Mal Bligh remarkably mimicking verbatim the words of his fellow Rhodes Schjolar PM predecessor infamously uttered by Tony Abbott in one of his many epic fails re the subject of prioritising Knights & Dames as a top agenda item and similarly as an epic fail when the light of day finally hits the entirety of surrounding facts in this already smelly GBRF affair (complete with a host of ex executive Goldman Sachs Green Bond specialists front and centre in the mix) this will likely to be found just another epic fail "captain's call" made by Captain Mal Bligh circa only about one month before he was to ultimately bail an obviously sinking ship, facts leading to same not insignificantly point to self inflicted demise, himself moving a spill motion that sealed orchestration of his own mutiny I've written to the relevant parties responsible seeking answers in the absense of a comp[etent vis a vis non compromised 4th estate and given DL's dismissive attitude shown in this youtube video towards the lingering not insignificant perception hinting at alarming level of corruption the central subject I'm glad to know atleast I'm remaining hyper vigilant.

[markwestmoreland]

Just another example of the sythphoning off of taxpayers money.