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Public has a $13bn right to know details of Murray Darling Basin Plan
Grant also took issue with the lack of transparency around how the $13bn Murray-Darling Basin Plan is being managed.
He said he had conducted a transparency review to determine if an Australian taxpayer would be able to work out – from publicly available information – how much of the money had been spent or committed, and how much was left.
The key observation arising from my review was that there is no simple, definitive, public source of information that clearly shows the breakdown of the $13 billion figure.
He said transparency was vital if taxpayers were to have confidence in the plan.
Quite often, with programs of this size and complexity, funding is reprofiled and moved into and out of various program areas, various departments and agencies.
Varying amounts – $10 billion to $13 billion to $15 billion – have been quoted as expenditure on Basin reform with no clarity on what elements of the reform package this money has been allocated to.
And I can understand why the community and senators must be confused at times, and therefore seek answers to many legitimate questions.
The Australian public, in my view, has a $13 billion right to know.
– AAP
13m ago22.46 EDT
Australia’s water theft laws ‘rubbish’
The independent inspector general of water compliance has told senators during a budget estimates hearing that Australia’s water laws have “more get out of jail clauses, and opportunities, than a Monopoly board”.
Tony Grant said his team had 21 open investigations but had closed 62 since February.
The reason they have closed is that the legislation is rubbish.
It’s legislation that needs review … it’s my strong intent to be articulating that in very clear detail for policy makers and legislators to consider.
Grant took particular issue with governance issues around price reporting.
You’d have to be a moron to get caught on doing anything wrong under that legislation.
Grant was asked by Nationals senator Ross Cadel how many people his team had caught.
None.
There’s too many…
2023-05-25 21:53:54
Post from www.theguardian.com