Pic: Emma Capp
The Senate has today agreed to inquire into the audit reports of both the Tasmanian community forest agreement and the exit forest grants.
The Labor Government supported the Greens, however the Coalition voted against it.
“I am not surprised that Senator Colbeck and Abetz don’t want to know about whether this is corruption or incompetence or both” Greens leader Senator Christine Milne said today.
“I am looking forward to getting to the bottom of how it is that applicants with a merit score of zero were given grants and people who didn’t meet the eligibility criteria were given grants; and why the grants management process was not upheld by the department.
“It’s time for Minister Joe Ludwig and his counterpart Bryan Green to explain how they presided over the allocation of $44 million of taxpayers’ money that did not achieve the forest protection objectives that underpinned the program.
“I thank the people who have already come forward and encourage them to make submissions to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee and look forward to a thorough investigation.”
More details on the inquiry and the submissions process will be available on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee website.
Text of the motion:
AMENDMENT
BUSINESS OF THE SENATE NOTICE OF MOTION No.1
I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that the findings of the Auditor General’s Audit Report No. 26, 2007-08 Performance Audit Tasmanian Forest Industry Development and Assistance Programs, and Report No. 22, 2012-13, Administration of the Tasmanian Forest Intergovernmental Agreement Contractors Voluntary Exit Grants Program, are referred to the Senate References Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and transport for inquiry and report by 6 May 2013.
• Kim Booth: Greens pursue comprehensive state inquiry into exit payments
• Kim Booth: Inquiry to shine light on dodgy forest exit grants
