2020-02-26
The Morrison Government is actively subverting democracy by twice in the past two sitting weeks using procedural games to avoid greater transparency on rorts.
The Government has today blocked Greens Senate Leader Larissa Waters from postponing a motion which would require them to disclose when ministers have departed from advice of independent bodies under Commonwealth Grants Guidelines, with risk of pork barrelling.
Last week, the Government used its numbers in the lower house to narrowly avoid voting in the House of Representatives on a motion to pass the Greens’ bill for a national corruption watchdog with teeth.
“The Government has pulled some extraordinary manoeuvres recently to twist the procedures of parliament and cover up rorts,” she said
“When a minister doesn’t follow the Commonwealth Grant Guidelines or advice when allocating a grant, they have to tell the Treasurer why - but it stays secret.
“Today the government blocked a Greens motion that would have lifted the secrecy and exposed any pork barrelling of all grants funds covered by Commonwealth Grant Guidelines on an ongoing basis.
“The Morrison Government prefers to keep their rorts secret and gag any dissent.
“They won’t improve transparency over how grants are made, they won’t release the Gaetjens Report and they won’t vote for a Federal ICAC.
“The Greens won’t stop pushing for disclosure of other grants fund rorts.
“Taxpayer money is not just a slush fund for Ministers to further their own interests. If a Minister ignores the advice of officials, the public deserves to know why,” she said.