Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1355 asked in the Legislative Council on 26 November 2020 by Hon Jacqui Boydell

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

1355. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the Minister for Regional Development:

I refer to an article published by WAtoday on 25 November, titled ''Prison officer suspended over fraud allegations gets $100 000 government grant for Pilbara tours''.

(1) Will the minister explain the due diligence process for local development commissions and the government when checking the accountability and credibility of the applicants for regional economic development grants?

(2) Given that the application is now in doubt, what will happen to the $100 000 allocated grant money if it is not given to the original recipient?

(3) Given that the role of the local development commissions is to bring the element of local knowledge and content to the process, and that there was media coverage of this issue prior to the grant round closing, yet the issue was still missed, will the minister undertake to restoring development commissions' staffing to levels that will allow them to undertake their role more effectively?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question.

(1) Applications for regional economic development grants require applicants to provide details of all partners, directors and senior management of the business that is applying for a grant. In this instance, a sole director was listed and this was not the person referred to in the WAtoday article. Accountability and credibility of the listed applicants is determined using local knowledge and, when relevant, credit checks are also undertaken. In the Pilbara, the assessment of applications involves up to three assessors providing comment on the suitability of the project and proponent. The full application, as well as an overview of the project and recommendations from assessors are then presented to the board of the commission for final approval.

(2) Any unallocated grant funds are made available for future RED grant rounds. We now understand that Ms Van Den Berg had stood down from the management of the company prior to the commission or me becoming aware of the charges. I note that the project was assessed very highly by the commission for its potential economic benefits, including long-term tourism jobs for Aboriginal people on the Burrup Peninsula.

(3) Applications for round 3 of the RED grants closed on 7 July and the assessment of applications began on 8 July. The commission is unaware of any media reports naming the person identified in the article prior to 12 August. There are currently eight staff in the commission's Karratha office, which is similar to staffing levels under the previous government. The member will be aware that under the previous government, many of the Pilbara Development Commission staff were based in Perth. I note the commission's recent stakeholder survey with over 100 responses showing very positive results across all indicators, suggesting it is well engaged and well regarded in the Pilbara.