The Department of Justice has received a formal response from Unions Tasmania regarding allegations that a $190,000 grant from the Solicitors’ Guarantee Fund was used for purposes other than those intended.
Unions Tasmania has confirmed that the grant money has not been spent on the purpose set out in the grant application. Further, Unions Tasmania has indicated that none of the grant money had been expended as of June 30, 2014.
While an alternative use of the funds was proposed to the former Attorney-General Brian Wightman in November 2013, no written evidence has been produced to confirm that the alternative use was actually approved.
I am not convinced that allegations of misuse of the grant money have yet been satisfactorily addressed, or that the alternative use of the grant which has been proposed is consistent with the intended purpose of grants from the Solicitors’ Guarantee Fund.
Advice has been sought from the Solicitor-General as to what further action can be taken in relation to this grant.
I remain concerned that funds from the Solicitors’ Guarantee Fund were distributed by the previous Government without any funding deeds or formal requirements to report back on how the money was spent.
The Department of Justice has been asked to provide advice on formal processes which should be implemented around the provision of grants from the Solicitors’ Guarantee Fund. No further grants will be distributed from this fund until these processes are in place to ensure grants are spent on appropriate law-related programs and projects.
Vanessa Goodwin, Attorney-General
