Senior Liberal Michaelia Cash has denied the previous Morrison authorities was complicit in pork-barrelling after a scathing auditor-general report right into a well being and hospital grant program.
The report by the Australian National Audit Office into the neighborhood well being and hospitals program discovered the Department of Health’s administration of this system was “ineffective and fell short of ethical requirements”.
The $1.25bn program was introduced simply 5 months earlier than the 2019 election, and an additional $747m was dedicated for related initiatives. The funds had been distributed to major well being networks and state and territory governments to attempt to ease strain on hospitals and neighborhood well being providers.
The report discovered grants had been awarded to well being initiatives regardless of being inconsistent with the foundations for awarding Commonwealth funds.
The audit discovered the governance to be ineffective, with greater than 50 per cent of the profitable grants coming outdoors the official expression of curiosity interval. Moreover, almost half of all initiatives – 45 per cent – had been in marginal seats.
The audit discovered simply two of the initiatives had been “highly suitable”.
The audit mentioned the Department of Health’s efficient administration of the funding preparations underneath this system was undermined by “deliberate breaches of the Commonwealth grants rules and guidelines” and a “failure to advise government where there was no legislative authority for grant expenditure”.
Senator Cash – the opposition’s spokesperson for office relations and attorney-general – denied the scheme was a way of pork-barrelling within the lead-up to the 2019 election.
“That program itself was actually developed to deliver local health and hospital services in every state and territory,” she instructed ABC radio.
“The Albanese Labor government has continued to use this grant program to support health services across the country.”
The scathing report made 4 key suggestions, together with making certain recommendation to authorities was in step with the Commonwealth’s grants guidelines.
Senator Cash mentioned the opposition would assist the motion essential to implement the suggestions within the well being division.
“It is important that there are robust processes … between the department and the ministerial office to ensure that the programs are implemented effectively and following proper process,” she mentioned.
“We would support any sensible actions taken by the department to strengthen those robust processes.”
Originally printed as Michaelia Cash denies pork barrelling allegations after Auditor-General’s scathing ScoMo grants report
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
