❓ Mr. Trenorden asks about federal road funding expectations for local government. Ms. MacTiernan confirms AusLink 1 continues for 2008-09, AusLink 2 is under review, and criticizes the previous government's funding allocation methods.
AnsweredQoN 230Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL ROADS — COMMONWEALTH FUNDING
I have a supplementary question. I ask the minister to answer the question: what are her expectations for road funding for local government in the federal budget? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
I have a supplementary question. I ask the minister to answer the question: what are her expectations for road funding for local government in the federal budget? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
As I said, the federal government has indicated that it will continue the program — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: As I said, the federal government has indicated that it will continue the program — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
As I said, the federal government has indicated that it will continue the program — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: As I said, the federal government has indicated that it will continue the program — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
As I said, the federal government has indicated that it will continue the program — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
The SPEAKER : Members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : As I have this supplementary question, I will try to explain the AusLink process. Roads to Recovery and the strategic investment fund, which are no doubt the funds to which the member refers, will continue for 2008-09. Those funds were already there. The next stage of funding, AusLink 2, is being reviewed. Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : You’re saying the funding will decrease? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, I am not saying that. I am saying that AusLink 1 will continue during 2008-09. Nothing has been said to indicate that the federal government will move away from the AusLink 1 arrangements for the coming financial year. It is true that the federal government is looking to ensure that we have in place a far more rational way of delivering money to local road groups. We know from the way in which funds were handed out by the previous federal government, particularly during the last desperate months, that a whiteboard was used and moneys were distributed not on a rational basis or on the basis of benefit-cost ratio or a strategic merit test, but all that was required was for a Liberal member in a marginal seat to ring someone and ask to have a road funded and they would receive the funding, even if the local council had not made an application. Why these people have not ended up in jail is beyond me. The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
The federal Labor government says it wants to work directly with local government, and I am sure that it will give local government a very fair deal.
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