After repeated calls from the RBA Governor, senior economists, industry leaders and state governments, Scott Morrison has finally announced some road projects will be brought forward in South Australia. Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said the Prime Minister’s ad-hoc announcement demonstrates he has a political strategy but not an economic plan. Rather

The Morrison Government’s drought shambles rolls on with Deputy Prime Minister McCormack today releasing eligibility criteria for the re-badged BBRF drought round so loose that it appears the Minister can make it up as he goes. The new guidelines were released barely a week after a scathing Audit into the mismanagement of the Regional Jobs

The Senate has today passed two motions ordering the Government must produce documents on matters relating to its mismanagement of the $220.5 million Regional Jobs and Investment Packages. Labor moved the Orders in response to repeated refusals by Deputy Prime Minister McCormack to release information in light of the scathing Auditor-General’s report No.12 2019-20 Award

In light of revelations that Moira Shire in Victoria is again currently ineligible for drought support, Shadow Minister for Regional Development Catherine King said it’s time for Drought Minister David Littleproud to start being transparent with drought-affected communities. Rural and regional Australians living through this extended drought don’t need uncertainty from the Government – they

Major cracks are appearing in the Prime Minister’s so-called drought stimulus package before the dust has even settled. The Herald Sun today reports a Morrison Government backbencher misled his own constituents over a promised $1 million through the Drought Communities Programme Extension. On 31 October 2019, the Nationals Member for Nicholls Damian Drum told the

Shadow Minister Catherine King has written to the Chair of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit requesting an inquiry into the Auditor-General’s scathing audit of the Coalition’s Regional Jobs and Investment Packages. Ms King said an inquiry by the JCPAA is an important next step in examining the maladministration by the Morrison Government.

E&OE TRANSCRIPT RADIO INTERVIEW ABC BALLARAT FRIDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2019 SUBJECT: Morrison’s refusal to meet with ex-fire chiefs, fire preparedness, Labor Review. STEVE MARTIN: With the fire season becoming longer and a bit more extreme, is it time for national response to fire and how we combat it? Earlier this week on ABC 730, former

Labor notes the announcement of Mr Simon Atkinson as the next Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development. We note Mr Atkinson comes to the role after an extensive public service career as well as several years as Finance Minister Matthias Cormann’s Chief of Staff and a period as the Coalition’s

The Morrison Government’s so-called drought stimulus package is already cracking under National Party incompetence with Infrastructure Minister McCormack suggesting it’s fine for workers from outside drought-affected areas to be contracted to do the work, and Drought Minister Littleproud admitting his office is frantically calling councils to check eligibility. It appears from the announcement that eligibility

Regional Queensland’s LNP MPs must come clean on which local organisations got ripped off, through the LNP’s latest regional rorts scandal. This week, the Morrison Government was caught out trying to hide a scathing Audit into the administration of the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages less than an hour before the Melbourne Cup Race. The